Silent Night?
by Storybookgirl08
Summary: Christmas fic that follows on from Grenade.Erin, Calum and Beth are determined to give the team an XMas to remember but history has a habit of catching you up when you least expect it. All characters from 2.1 onwards may turn up.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer Kudos/BBC own everything related to Spooks. No copyright infringement intended. This story follows straight on from Grenade. **

**Silent Night.**

"So, two weeks to Christmas." Calum announced as he walked across the Grid. Malcolm nodded as he watched the newest member of the team tap something into the computer.

"So it is." Malcolm smiled. "So it is."

"So?"

"So?" Tariq answered.

"What happens in this place over Christmas? What did you all do last year?"

"Beth organised a Christmas party." Tariq smiled at the memory. "It was a laugh."

"Yeah? A party."

"I was on maternity leave." Ros answered.

"While the rest of us were trapped on the Grid with a killer Christmas tree." Ruth watched as Calum's eyes widened. Lucas shook his head as he remembered the way they had all almost been blown to Kingdom Come. Only Ruth could make it sound like a slight inconvienience.

"Do I want to know what happened?" Calum asked Malcolm.

"No." Tariq laughed. "By the time we explained it, it'd be next Christmas."

"Right, so? What about the year before?"

"Do you not have enough work to do?" Lucas asked as Ros stood and tugged her leather jacket around her.

"The year before. Arrested two known AQ operatives in London. Prevented them blowing up London Bridge. Before that prevented an attack on Oxford Street, the year before that prevented an attack on three major UK shopping centres and prevented an assasination attempt on several members of the Royal Family. The year before that.."

"I get it." Calum sighed. "Busy time of year."

"You could say that Mr Reed." Harry stated as he walked out of his office. "Ros?"

"Ready."

"Have fun at Whitehall." Adam smirked as Ros pulled a face. She hated going to talk to politicians who had very little knowledge or regard for what they did. She sighed, at least in that respect Towers had appreciated their work. Until he had fallen for a certain Russian redhead. She shot Adam one of her customary death glares as Erin, Zaf and Dimitri smirked.

"I expect there to be some progress on the Morganston case when I return." Harry nodded towards Zoe and Dimitri.

"Yes, Harry." Zoe sighed. She couldn't wait for the next week to pass. Five more days and she was going on maternity leave. She was counting the shift. Ruth smiled slightly as she watched the pair leave the Pods. It was rare that everyone was on the Grid together and she couldn't help but feel a little sad as she remembered the last time it had happened. The EERIE exercise seemed a lifetime ago.

"Anyway." Ruth rested a hand on her stomach. "What are we going to do?"

"You up for some Christmas cheer Pearce?" Dimitri smiled.

"Well, why not?" Ruth answered.

"Because last year I bought a tree that nearly killed us all." Beth answered as she handed Zoe the Morganston file.

"It wasn't your fault the tree was really a bomb." Ruth smiled slightly. "I did want to kill you at the time though."

"Yeah." Beth watched as Ruth's eyes lit up. "So did everyone else."

"Only you." Tariq laughed. "Only you could buy a killer Christmas Tree and smuggle it through the security of Thames House."

"Hardly smuggle. "Beth laughed. "Do you remember the size of the thing?"

Dimitri rolled his eyes as he got to his feet and headed towards the kitchenette. Lucas shook his head and got back to his work as Erin and Calum exchanged glances.

"So, there was a Christmas party?" Erin asked. "Never bothered with them in Section A."

"Yeah, well they always were miserable buggers." Calum answered.

"So?"

"What about a party?" Erin asked as Beth beamed.

"You want a party, Erin. You organise it." Lucas watched as the new girl and the blonde exchanged glances. Ruth couldn't help but think this Christmas was going to be as eventful as the last.

####################

A/N Only the introduction. Hope you don't hate it too much. Worth going on? There is a case in here somewhere, I


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Misquoted?**

Harry stared out over the city, the rooftop the first place he had headed once he and Ros had escaped the nightmare that as Whitehall. He needed to clear his head before he faced the team. It had only been a matter of weeks since the Boscard/Folmer/Elena case had been concluded and there were still too many loose ends for Harry's liking. The effects on his team were still palpable. He was just relieved that Zaf, Adam and Ruth seemed to be their old selves. Lucas was still a little quiet but he knew Ros was keeping an eye on her husband. Now it seemed his team were never going to get the truth of who was really behind Ilya's murder or the Confederation's attempt to derail the Royal Ball and blow up one of the biggest airports in Western Europe. He hung his head as he felt a warm hand on his back.

"Ruth."

"Harry." She paused before kissing his shoulder blade through his shirt. Harry closed his eyes. "You're freezing."

"I'm fine."

"I spoke to Ros." Ruth sighed. "I'm so sorry."

"Ruth, you hated the woman."

"Doesn't mean I wanted to see her dead. I know what she meant to you." Ruth moved to stand next to himm as he turned slightly to face her.

"Once." Harry agreed. "It's Sasha I feel sorry for. The man he believed was his father all his life was murdered. Then the body of the man that was his biological father is washed up in the Thames and now his mother commits suicide."

"Jim Coaver." Ruth sighed heavily.

"I know." Harry smirked. "He kept that quiet."

"Do you think she really killed herself?" Ruth asked as he rested a hand on hers. "I mean, she always seemed so together, so cold."

"Russian spies never talk. Ever. She was old school Cold War trained. Like me I suppose." He turned his attention back over the city. "Ruth, you have to believe Elena was in my past. Firmly in my past. I can hardly believe that I felt anything for her."

"Oh I do." Ruth sighed as she met his eyes. "Any other secrets I need to know?"

"Only." Her eyes widened in shock as he rested both hands on her waist. "What I've bought you for Christmas."

"Harry." Ruth sighed. "You.." he covered her lips with his own before she could finish her sentance. He smiled slightly into the kiss as she wound her fingers in his hair, pulling him to her. She stepped back when the need for oxygen began to overwhelm her.

"Ruth." He rested his forehead against hers as her eyes fluttered closed.

"Impossible man." She smiled as he chuckled slightly.

"So you keep telling me." Harry smiled as she opened her eyes. "Come on, I suppose I should fill the others in on what's happening."

"What is happening with Towers? Please tell me the Prime Minister accepted his resignation." She took his hand as they walked back to the Grid.

"I could." Harry glared. "But I hate lying to you. We have to wait for a reshuffle, apparently the PM doesn't think it would be good for the image of the party or the government if he went now."

"So having a man known to cooperate with Russian spies is? Incredible." Ruth shook her head.

"Politics my love." Harry sighed as she rested a hand on her growing abdomen, the baby bump now evident to anyone who looked at her. She rolled her eyes before walking back onto the Grid.

##################

"I don't like it." Ros stated as Lucas and Adam exchanged glances.

"We're stuck with him." Lucas glared at the wood of the Briefing Room table as Beth picked at her top.

"For the moment." Harry watched as the news of Towers' temporary reprieve sank in. He hated it as much as Ros and Ruth had. He had never really trusted any politicians and was even more distrusting of the current Home Secretary. Alec swore under his breath.

"Well, at least he didn't try to kill us all in one go. Not like Blake." Adam spat. All eyes fell on him as he realised not everyone at the table would know about the assasination attempt where Harry had walked in front of a bullet to try to save the team. Zaf closed his eyes for a moment as he remembered the look on Jo's face. She had been as terrified at the rest of them.

"What?" Erin asked incredulous.

"Seems we have had a bit of bad luck when it comes to Home Secretaries." Harry ended the discussion as he felt Ruth's eyes on him. He had neglected to tell her of Blake's trechary while she had been away and he had a feeling that once Nick and the others were in bed there would be questions asked.

"Anyway." Ros brought the meeting back on track as she leant against the wall. "The Idiot Morganston brothers."

"Not much more intel that we had this morning." Ruth answered. "Their last message to the bank was in ancient Greek."

"Which you translated." Zaf answered.

"I did." Ruth sighed. "But it still doesn't make any sense. It's a passage taken from an ancient Greek poem but it's taken out of context so has nothing to do with what they are doing. It's almost as if they are trying to appear intellectual but don't understand the context of what they are writing."

"But." Dimitri prompted.

"But I think." Ruth sighed. "I think they have no idea that they were mixing dialects. It really makes a mess of what they sent."

"What did they say?" Ros asked.

"The gist of it is, they want to get revenge for what they see as the UK's wrongdoing towards them. They quote Apology by Plato but twist it to fit themselves. 'And yet, of the truth, they have spoken, one might say nothing at all.'" She paused as Harry met her eyes. He knew she had memorised more of the Greek classics than he could ever even hope to. And she understood them. "And be prepared for the truth to reign upon you when the end will come."

"Sounds pompous bullshit to me." Ros stated.

"And for the most part it is. Anyone can look up Plato and Homer on Wikipaedia or any search engine but its how they phrase their addition to the quote that gives them away." Ruth replied. "They think they are going to wreck the UK economy."

"Well, it wouldn't take much." Alec sighed as Harry shot him a look.

"True, but attacking the biggest financial institutions is a bit much." Zaf answered.

"So, we know next to nothing about these idiots." Harry barked as the team fell silent. He was right. The team were barely recovered from the debacle that was the Royal Ball and now they were being plunged headlong into what looked like it was going to be another long and dangerous case.

"Didn't we stop an attack like this last year?" Beth asked as Lucas nodded.

"Yeah."

"Just because one joker failed doesn't mean more wont try." Harry barked as Beth looked away. Ros pushed herself away from the wall as she began handing out assignments and tasks. Both Adam and Zaf made their excuses, stating they had an asset in the Bank of England that could help while Erin and Alec volunteered to head over to the bank at the heart of the threat. Harry watched as the team dispursed quietly as Zoe closed the door behind her. It was going to be a long day.

#################

"You really think Elena killed herself?" Zaf asked as he walked along side Adam, narrowly missing the massive Christmas tree that stood in the reception area of Thames House.

"Dunno. Don't really care." Adam answered as he dug in his pockets for the car keys. It was his turn to drive and there was no way he was going to allow Zaf to drive his new car.

"Bit weird though. Gavrik gets murdered and her and Coaver turn up dead."

"Co incidence?"

"Since when have you believed in them, Adam Carter?" Zaf laughed as he jogged down the steps alongside his friend.

"I don't. Not in this job. You reckon the Geek Squad wil be able to trace the message back? Zaf?." Adam looked along the street. He knew something looked wrong. His spook instinct was in overdrive. "Zaf?"

"Yeah." Zaf nodded, suddenly serious as he walked towards Adam's car. He knew there was nothing that marked the street out as any different to any other day but he couldn't shake the feeling they were being watched. He didn't like the fact that there was no one really left to explain what had happened but he knew there was nothing he could do about it. He closed his eyes for a moment as he thought he smelt Jo's perfume on the woman that had walked past him. There were just too many coincidences for Zaf's liking. He shook his head as he walked to the passenger side of the car. He knew Adam was still worried about him but he knew there was no need.

"Zaf?"

"Come on Adam. This asset of yours isn't going to wait all day."

#################

A/N Is this any good? Still at the stage where I may delete and start again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Ghosts of Christmas Past.**

Zoe swore as she stared at the paperwork in front of her. She had wanted to believe that the Morganston brothers were an annoyance than anything else, but it was looking more and more as if there was a credible threat. The poem Ruth had analysed was way above her knowledge base even with her English degree and it was beginning to get more and more frustrating as she read the latest murdering of Plato and Homer's classic works. She slammed the folder shut as Tariq and Malcolm laughed about some new gadget in the corner. Ruth looked up and frowned as her friend pushed the chair away from her desk.

"Zoe?"

"How do you do this?"

"What?" Ruth was clearly baffled by Zoe's question.

"This." Zoe pointed at the computer in front of her. "Analyse things, day in, day out."

"It's my job." Ruth answered calmly. "Zo, it's not that bad. I often think the same about you and the others. Out there in the field all day, risking your lives." Zoe couldn't help but smile as she saw her friend glance towards Harry's office. She wasn't even sure Ruth knew what she was doing half the time. It was a subconscious action on Ruth's part. She couldn't help but smile as the analyst blushed, knowing Harry had caught her staring. Harry had looked away immediately but she had seen the soft smile he had sent in her direction.

"So." Ruth's eyes snapped back to her friend. "What are you doing for Christmas?"

"I'm on call. So's Harry. That means Catherine's cooking. After last year, that's probably for the best." Ruth sighed as Zoe smiled slightly.

"Come on. The sooner we get through all this data, the sooner we can stop Armageddon again."

######################

"Right." Erin walked alongside Beth as they headed towards the meeting place Erin's asset had arranged. Beth really wasn't sure whether Tommy Hughes was going to be able to shred any light on the current case. The explosives expert turned informer hadn't been out of prison long enough to be of any use as far as she could see.

"So, this Tommy?" Beth asked as she walked along.

"I arrested him when I was in Section K. Miserable little man but he knows his stuff as regards explosives and he knows Tim Morganston."

"And he'll grass him up? Just like that?" Beth knew Erin's assets tended to give her the information she needed but she just couldn't see how.

"Yes." Erin smiled sweetly. "For a price."

"If you say so." The blonde nodded, not quite sure her senior officer was going to get the information they needed so easily. She knew the woman had cultivated a number of assets and each one as diverse as possible but Tommy Hughes seemed to be the least likely asset she could imagine.

"Anyway." Erin smiled. "Christmas party?"

"You are determined about this, arent you?" Beth smiled. "I know how you feel. I was, this time last year. Now I really don't care."

"Oh come on, Beth." Erin stopped as she watched the younger woman stare at her feet. "You and Dimitri aren't on call this year. This case looks like the most straight forward we've had in years. And it is Christmas."

"Yeah, I know." Beth sighed heavily. "Last year, everything was so different. I was really looking forward to it."

"But?"

"But." Beth sighed. "It's different now."

"How? Me and Calum joining really that bad?" Erin raised an eyebrow as Beth shook her head.

"No, of course it isn't. But last year I could talk in a complete sentance all the time. I was good at this rather than just adequete. Ros was having a baby, Ruth and Harry were well Ruth and Harry. Malcolm and Sarah had so much to look forward to and I actually believed Dimitri and I could be more than just friends."

"You are living with him, so you were right there. "Erin smiled kindly. She could see exactly why Beth was so in love with Dimitri. He was the kind of man that was easy to be around. It was also what made him such a good spook. "And Beth, you are more than adequete at this job. And you know it." Beth rolled her eyes as she walked towards the bench near the pub where Tommy Hughes was already waiting.

"He feels sorry for me. He was there when Lawrence hit me."

"He loves you, you idiot." Erin shook her head as she saw Tommy stand to face them.

###################

"You alright mate?" Adam asked as he drove towards the West End. The rain beat the windscreen as Zaf straightened up in his seat. He was exhausted, his dreams still plauged by Ruth's screams and his memories of Boscard.

"Yeah."

"Zaf?"

"Yeah."

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"If you are thinking a black Saab has been following us since we hit Picadilly Circus, yep." Zaf stared at the sideview mirror as the black Saab seemed to be gaining them. "New plates, I'll get Calum to see who our friends are." He picked up his mobile and text the registration plate to Calum. Adam frowned slightly as he took the next left turn, determined to loose the tail that they had aquired. He had no idea why they were being followed, but it seemed that their friends liked them too much to let them go. Adam swore under his breath as he tried and failed to loose his tail.

"Come on Calum." He muttered as he swerved to avoid a cyclist. "Who is it?"

"Shit." Zaf looked over his shoulder. "Adam!"

"Who the Hell is it!"

The phone bleeped as Zaf answered the phone. Calum sounded panicked as he read the registration number back to him.

"Yeah, that's it. Who are these jokers? We cant get to the Embassy with them on our backside."

"It's registered to Ilya Gavrick."

"He's dead." Zaf answered. "How the Hell?"

"I dunno but all the databases are coming back with the same answer. That Saab is registered to Iyla Gavrick."

"Why the Hell is he haunting us?" Adam hissed as his foot hit the accelerator. He had a feeling they were going to have to wait for the trip to the Embassy, there was no way he could risk a high speed car chase where they were but as he saw it, unless he led his friends in the Saab away from the city centre there was no way he was going to loose them. Zaf turned slightly in his seat, silently relieved that he had his gun with him, despite how much he hated it. Adam glanced sideways as he realised what Zaf was doing. He floored the accelerator a second time as the driver of the Saab did the same. Adam sent up a silent prayer up to the patron Saint of spooks that he would get them home in one piece.

################

"Talk to me, Malcom." Ros barked as she walked along Oxford Street. Lucas walked alongside her as they battled their way through the masses of Christmas shoppers. He couldn't help but think of the devastation an attack would do to the capital city at this time of year. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he waited for Ros to finish her conversation with the technical officer.

"CCTV shows Tim Morganston entering the cafe on the corner." Ros stated as a woman almost knocked her into the road. Lucas smiled slightly as the middle aged woman recieved the best of his wife's death glares.

"Right." Lucas watched as she ran a hand through her short blonde hair. He knew how seriously she took her job. Lives depended on her making the right decision, everytime. He had no idea how she had remained sane. "Ros?"

"Malcolm says he was seen talking to a thin man with a beard. Ruth is running facial recognition now. Morganston's brother hasn't shown up anywhere. David Morganston has always appeared to be the brains behind this. Where the Hell is he? Why is Tim doing his brother's dirty work?" Ros thought outloud as Lucas rested a hand on her back.

"Dunno." He watched as the familiar glint lit up her eyes. He knew Ros was never going to let this go, not until they had removed the threat. A sly smile crept over her face. She knew they still didn't have enough to pick up either brother, a court would state all the evidence was circumstantial, leaving MI5 as a whipping boy for the tabloid press. They had to get more information. Lucas raised an eyebrow as she turned to him.

"How about a coffee? There's that nice little coffee shop at the end of the street."

"Sounds an idea." He smirked as she dug in her pocket. It was time to get the show on the road.

#############################

"Harry?" Ruth barged into his office as he slammed the phone down.

"What?" He looked up as she closed the office door. "Ruth? What is it?"

"Alec called. He's at the American Embassy with Dimitri. They have some background information on the Morganson brother but nothing that really helps. Adam hasn't been in contact since he told us he had a tail."

"Are you worried?"

"Not really." Ruth knew he trusted her gut instincts more than she did at times. He stared at her intently as she looked away. "Adam is Adam. No doubt he'll be turning on the charm to get me to save his driving licence. Again."

"Then?"

"It's Ros and Lucas. No one has seen or heard from them since Malcolm spoke to them."

"Which was?"

"Over three hours ago. They were tailing Tim Morganson. CCTV shows them walking in to the cafe on Oxford Street. So I called the cafe. The waitress says a woman fitting Ros' description left five minutes after she arrived, through the back entrance."

"Any sign of Lucas?"

"Yes, it seems he was with her but neither seemed happy about leaving the cafe with the men they were with. None of this is on CCTV. Harry, someone disabled the camera directly opposite the cafe. They've been taken." She twisted her hands together as she tried to force the panic away. Harry was on his feet in an instant.

"Is there any other possible explanation?"

"None I can think of."

"Ruth?"

"Harry, they went into a cafe looking for a terrorist. They are no longer in the cafe and the waitress sounded terrified when I spoke to her. Tariq and Malcolm are searching all the CCTV in greater London looking for them while Alec heads over there. Calum and Zoe are running facial recon." She jumped slighlty as the door to Harry's office opened.

"KNOCK!" Harry barked as Calum raised an eyebrow.

"Ruth gets away with it."

"You, Mr Reed are not Ruth." He barked as Ruth raised an eyebrow as Harry muttered 'thank God.' under his breath.

"Yeah, well. Images I did not need. Anyway. We've found a facial match for the bearded man. Zoe thought you'd want to know."

"Enlighten me."

"Do you remember a man called Julian Silvitir?"

"Shit." Ruth muttered as she rested her hands on her hips.

"I take that as a yes then." Calum nodded as Harry closed his eyes. Sometimes it seemed they could never escape the past.

"Yes. I know that man. Get everyone back here. Ros and Lucas may be in serious trouble. Find them. I want everyone looking for them."

"But."

"But nothing. Find Ros Myers and Lucas North."

#################################

A/N More soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer not mine. If it was do you really think 10.6 would have ended like that?**  
><strong>*Ahem*!<strong>

**Rediscovery**.

Ruth closed her eyes as she tried not to imagine what had happened to her friends. It didn't bare thinking about, her eyes filling with tears everytime she imagined Amy and James growing up without their parents or Wes, Emma and the new baby growing up without their fathers. The thought made her feel physically sick as she stared at the kettle waiting for it to boil. She closed her eyes as she felt a warm hand on her lower back.

"Ruth."

"Any news?"

"Zaf called in." Harry answered as she almost collapsed in relief. Adam and Zaf were closer to her than any brother could have been. He knew what their friendship meant to her.

"Adam?"

"They are both ok. Calum spoke to them. They got rid of the tail and are on their way back here." Harry smiled slightly as Ruth closed her eyes in relief. There were at least three children that would see their parents that night. Harry stepped away from her and began pulling teabags out of the cupboard as she watched.

"Harry."

"Do you remember the first time I made you tea?" He asked as he avoided her gaze. She wasn't sure where the shift in conversation was headed but she knew he was getting to his point. Ruth nodded as she remembered the day they had been stood in her kitchen.

"I loved that kitchen." Ruth smiled slightly.

Harry looked away, almost ashamed at the memory. Ruth rested a hand on his arm.

"Go on."

"The point is." He paused. "My point is I should have trusted your instincts then. I just couldn't bare the thought of you being in danger. And I should have trusted your instincts today. I'm sorry Ruth." He poured the tea that she had now forgotten about.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Then or now." Ruth smiled as she took the cup from him. "Harry."

"I always wondered why you stopped drinking tea."

"Lucas isn't the only one with a near edict memory." She sipped her tea as Harry help her gaze. "Lots of things reminded me of home. So to survive I had to become someone else. That meant changing alot of things." She looked away. "Any news on Lucas and Ros?"

"Tariq has located their car."

"And Jools?"

"Malcolm can't find any record of him entering the country."

"And we know he left with Tessa? There was never any doubt or was all that merely circumstantial?" Ruth was thinking out loud, she didn't really expect Harry to answer her. "Ilya Gavrik is dead, apparently so is Elena."

"More than apparently. I've seen the autopsy photos."

Ruth pulled a face, she knew that they had to see things that would ordinarily turn the stomachs of the hardest men but she had no idea how difficult that must have been for Harry. To see the photographs of his ex lover laying on a metalic morgue table must have been horrendous.

"And there is no way they have been faked? I know there were some of my corpse around at one stage." Ruth watched as Harry's eyes darkened. Neither liked to talk about her method of going into exile. Even years after their reunion it was just too painful.

"Malcolm created those." He paused. "No, these are real. Elena is dead."

"And the Coronor is certain it was self inflicted." Ruth raised an eyebrow. She never believed Elena had taken her own life. The woman didn't seem the type but then, she knew that years before people would have thought the same of her.

"Officially." Harry stared at the rapidly cooling tea.

"I can't help but think Ros and Lucas going walkabout is more to do with her rather than the Morganston brothers. Tim Morganston is a thug. It's well documented but both of them would be more than a match for him. If Jools is with them that probably complicates things." Ruth watched as Harry nodded slightly. Jools Silvitir was an intelligent and ruthless man, a shining star in MI6 for longer than Harry cared to remember. He knew his time in the Foreign Office meant he could come into contact with some of the most influential criminals in the world. It came as no surprise to him that Jools had come into contact with Morganston. Ruth met Harry's eyes for a moment as they both processed what was happening. The case that had haunted their nightmares wasn't over, it overlapped with the one they were investigating now. Harry hated the way they had never really been free of his past, never really out of Jools and Mace's shadow. Ruth smiled slightly as the door to the kitchenette opened.

"Tariq." Ruth smiled kindly at the baby of the team.

"Zaf and Adam are back."

"Thankyou." Harry tried not to snap. "Any news on Ros and Lucas?"

"No but Adam called Carrie, she's taking Amy and James for tonight."

"Her maternity leave isn't over yet. She has another four months. Izzy's only three months old." Ruth stared as Tariq nodded.

"Yeah, she's doing it as a favour." Tariq stated. "She likes Ros."

###################

Lucas was cold. That was the first thing that registered as he began to become aware of his surroundings. That and the overwhelming nausea that told him somewhere along the line he had been drugged. He opened his eyes gingerly as he realised that Ros was no where to be seen. Fighting the panic that was beginning to take hold. He couldn't fight the thought that Ros was dead.

###################

"The cafe is tiny." Malcolm stated. "The only way one could enter is through the front door."

"What about the back?" Erin asked as they scrolled through the CCTV footage.

"Well." Malcolm sighed in frustration. "The Christmas lights obscure the view somewhat."

"Malcolm can we see Ros and Lucas leaving the cafe?" Zaf stood over them. Everyone could see how worried the field officer was. Ros and Ruth were like sisters to Zaf and Malcolm dreaded to think what could happen if they didn't find Ros. He knew how she had insisted on searching for her friend when he had vanished.

"No." Malcolm answered honestly. "I've been through all the footage. Ros enters the cafe ahead of Lucas. He follows her seconds later."

"And?" Zoe asked as Erin closed her eyes.

"Well." Calum turned to face his friends. "They weren't in the cafe and Ruth talked to the girl on the till, so where are they?"

"That is the question." Malcolm sighed. "That is indeed the question."

"It's answers we need." Zaf snapped as Tariq turned to him.

"Yeah. And Malcolm is trying his best. We all are."

#############################

Ros stared at the ceiling as she tried to focus her thoughts. She knew there was no way Jools hadn't killed Lucas. The confrontation in the cafe had been heated. He was genuinely the last person she had expected to see. The fact he had been sat with Morganston was worrying to say the least. It meant Tessa was somewhere in the background. No doubt pulling the strings. She narrowed her eyes as she became accustomed to the near pitch black darkeness all around her. The cold permeated her bones. She couldn't help but think of her children as her determination to get back to them spurred her on to escape, despite her grief over Lucas and the pain shooting through her neck and back.

"Lucas?" She spoke into the darkness, not surprised when she didn't get an answer. She carefully sat up as she became aware of a large set man sat in the corner of the room.

"Oh." He looked up and smiled. "I'd better put the light on. Let the dog see the rabbit and all that."

Ros glared at him, she knew his jovial tone meant nothing. He was going to kill her.

"Morganston."

"Ros Myers. I've heard alot about you."

"Don't believe everything you hear." Ros glared.

"Oh I don't." He walked over to her as Ros remainded still. She knew there was no way she could fight the man in front of her. He was huge. Even if she hadn't been drugged she knew that fighting off the man was going to be a challenge.

"Ros." He crouched down in front of her. "We have a mutual friend."

"I don't think so."

"Oh let me jog your memory." He smiled as he took her hand in his and began to squeeze. "Tell me. Has your analyst worked my message out yet?"

"Get to the point."

"Ruth? Has she got the message my brother sent?"

"You know we have."

"Ok." He narrowed his eyes. "It seems she hasn't analysed it well enough." Ros remained silent as she saw the small red light in the corner of the room. She was being filmed which meant only one thing. The footage was going to be sent back to Section D. She was going to be killed and the others, her junior officers, Ruth and Harry were going to be forced to watch. She turned her attention back to the man in front of her as memories of Juliet trying to kill her and the Hotel bomb began to flood her mind. She knew that there was no way she was going to be able to escape if she let those thoughts get to her. She resisted the urge to flinch as he brushed a strand of blonde hair away from her face.

"Ros."

Ros remained silent.

"My brother and I have been waiting for this for such a long time. Mr Silvitir has merely provided the finance for us to be able to achieve our goals."

"Your goals." Ros snorted.

"Yeah." He smiled. "Its in the stars. The British way of life isn't sustainable. We will make them see what the truth is."

"You are mad."

"The Great Works of Homer, Plato and the ancient classics." Morganston smirked. "They explain it better than I ever could. You are dead. And I am sorry about that but in a war against the philistine there will be casulaties." Both froze for a second as a loud bang hit the building. Ros could only hope the cavalry was coming. She squinted slightly as the room seemed to fill with shadows. For a moment she was sure she could hear Jo whispering in her ear. She was going home. It didn't matter what it took, she was going home.

###################

"Video mesage on line one." Calum almost screamed as the Grid fell silent. Zoe tapped a few keys as everyone turned their attention to the words scrolling over the screen. Harry felt his blood boil as the image of Lucas laying unconscious filled the screen. Erin swore as she realised there was a trail of blood that trickled down his face. His eyes were closed and no one could be certain he was breathing. Harry squeezed Ruth's hand as she slipped her hand in his. Tariq ran a hand through his dark hair as he glanced at Malcolm.

"Why?"

"Because they mean to scare us off." Adam barked. "That's why Zaf and me were followed."

"But why Lucas? And where the Hell is Ros?" Zoe folded her arms across her chest as she spoke.

"Opportunity?" Beth sighed. "It could easily have been Dimitri and Alec or me and Erin."

"Yeah." Dimitri agreed as he watched Beth glare. He was secretly glad she was back, it seemed that Beth was almost as strong as she had been before the attack. Erin couldn't help the slightly smile as she observed the young couple. There was no way Dimitri was with Beth out of sympathy. It was obvious to everyone exept the young blonde woman at her side.

"Where is this?" Harry frowned. "Looks familiar."

"I'm running a trace on it but not getting anything yet." Tariq stated as Calum reached across and tapped a few keys on the console in front of him.

"It looks familiar." Ruth felt her blood run cold. She knew exactly where Lucas was being held. Even before Tariq read out the address. Harry held her eyes for a second too long. Mani had kidnapped and tortured her and Harry in the same room Lucas was being held years before.

"Adam, get over there. Find Ros and bring Lucas home." He turned on his heel and marched to his office all the while trying to work out what had gone on between Jools and the Morganston brothers. He closed his eyes as he heard Adam put his team together. He knew that whatever happened Section D were not going to forget this Christmas.

############

A/N More soon?


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Homeward Bound.**

Ruth stared at the computer screen as Malcolm fed information to the others. She knew Adam and the others were heading towards the warehouse where she had been held with Harry years earlier. The memories of what had happened the day she had been thrown back into their lives still made her feel sick. She knew she was always going to have nightmares about the day George had been killed. Sighing heavily she pushed all thoughts of that day to the back of her mind as Harry emerged from his office.

"Jools entered the country three days ago." She looked up as he reached her desk. "On a false passport."

"Tessa?"

"No." Ruth sighed heavily. It was no secret that she had never liked the woman. Harry leant against Zaf's desk as he listened to her. "As far as I can see he's here alone. There's no record of Tessa since we last heard from her."

"She's crawled back under some stone or other." Harry growled as they both turned to see Malcolm getting increasingly frustrated with the situation. Tariq handed him a piece of paper as he continued to bark instructions to Erin. Ruth raised her eyebrows, she had never seen Malcolm as anything more than mildly annoyed. The fact he was now so tense and abrupt with Erin and Tariq showed just how worried he really was.

"Malcolm." Ruth spoke quietly as Zoe rested a hand on his arm.

"Lucas is probably dead and we have no idea where Ros is." Malcolm stated as he threw his earpiece on the desk in front of him. Tariq looked away as Ruth closed her eyes and swore. They all knew Malcolm was just voicing their worst fears.

"Not only that." Harry barked "But we still have a genuine terrorist threat to deal with. Malcolm, can you keep liasing with Erin and Adam in the field or shall I have Zoe take over?" Zoe looked away as Harry addressed the older man.

"I can do it."

"Fine." Harry looked away. He knew how worried his old friend was. Lucas and Ros were probably closer to him than any of the other members of the team. Tariq ran a hand through his dark hair as he wondered whether he could speak without either Malcolm or Harry barking at him. Calum sighed heavily as he turned to them.

"How come you know where this place is anyway?"

"We've been there." Ruth sighed. Harry nodded once as Calum raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Calum looked around the group as Zoe shrugged her shoulders. "When?"

"A long time ago." Ruth met Harry's eyes as she spoke. For a moment it was if there was no one else in the world. He swallowed hard before speaking, the memories of the day almost four years earlier beginning to overwhelm him. He would never forget the way Ruth had looked at him, he knew that in those minutes Mani had threatened Nick, she had believed he was a monster. It didn't matter how they felt about each other now, he knew that image would haunt him forever.

###############################

Ros groaned as the light hit her eyes. She knew that she had been moved but she had no idea where she had been dumped or how long she had been there. All she knew was that everything hurt. She was convinced she had at least two broken ribs, while her back screamed in protest and her stomach burned as she tried to move. The cold from the concrete floor seemed to seep into her core as she realised she was alone in the room. Ros opened her eyes slowly determined that she was not going to cry but unsure if she could prevent herself from screaming out in pain. She took a deep breath and imediately regretted it as her lungs burned in protest. The final thought as the darkness claimed her was of her husband and the babies that were too young to ever remember her.

################

Zaf pushed his foot harder onto the accelerator as Ruth carried on talking to him through his earpiece. She knew he was the fastest driver on the Grid. He was also among the most accident prone. It didn't matter how gracefully they got to the warehouse, just that they got there quickly. She was convinced that Lucas was still alive but knew they were running out of time.

"You are sure about this?" Erin asked as she checked her gun. Zaf remained silent next to her as he drove. Dimitri and Beth following behind at breakneck speed.

"Certain." Ruth replied. "I would know that room anywhere. Lucas is definately being held in the warehouse where Mani took me."

"Right." Erin stated. It was all the confirmation she needed.

"Ruth?"

"Yes." Ruth was beginning to get a little fed up with people questioning her about her past.

"I can see the building in the distance. Any idea how we gain access?" Erin asked as the car swung into the industrial estate.

"I have no idea." Ruth answered honestly. "Calum is going through the schematics of the building."

"I thought you'd been there." Erin asked as the brakes squeeled.

"I have." Ruth sighed as she looked anywhere but at Harry. "I wasn't exactly conscious when I arrived." Harry closed his eyes as he thought about the way she had looked when she had been dragged into the room. He knew if Ros was half as afraid they had major problems.

"Ok, fair enough." Erin seemed to know when to shut up. Zaf threw his car door open just as the heavens opened. The already dangerous gravel and dirt track quickly turned into a death trap as the dirt turned to mud. He turned sharply as another car swung into view, he couldn't help but smile slightly as he realised Beth, Adam and Dimitri had arrived. For a moment he wished Zoe was there but he knew that her being back on the Grid was probably for the best.

"Calum?" Beth spoke quietly, "We could really use a heads up now." Dimitri pushed her out of the way as Erin swore, a bullet missed her by inches. The petite blonde hit the floor with a thud as Dimitri's full weight fell on to her. Dimitri cursed as he realised she had hit her head on the floor. Another gunshot rang out as he realised Adam had returned fire. Erin tugged on Zaf's arm as the pair disappeared inside the building, both relying on Calum to be able to direct them through the pitch black corridors.

##########################

Lucas glared at the wall as he realised he had been dumped. His ribs burned and his head swum. He knew his right ankle was broken and his knee was badly damaged. It didn't matter. All that mattered was getting back to Ros and the children. He was determined to find her, refusing to believe that he would never see her again. They had been through too much for this to be the end. Frowning as he pushed himself into a sitting position he hoped someone back at the Grid would have worked out what had happened. The drugs still in his system made it difficult to concentrate but the familiar sound of gunfire began to give him hope that Malcolm and Ruth would have worked it out. He sighed heavily. _Come on Ruth. Time to return the favour. Get us home. _

_##############_

Harry slammed the phone back down on his desk as he considered how he could remove the current Home Secretary without going to prison for murder. William Towers was a pompous and condesending idiot that had no idea what his team faced on a daily basis. The fact that he still seemed to be holding back information that could prevent a terrorist attack and get two of his most senior officers back on the Grid was grating on Harry. He had no idea why Towers was still being so evasive when he knew that it was due to Harry and his team that he wasn't languishing in prison or laying in the local cemetary. He pushed himself away from the deska s he realised that something had happened. Zoe was pacing up and down while Ruth read a transcript out and Malcolm and Tariq continued to bark orders while Calum pulled on his leather jacket.

"Calum?" Harry barked as he opened the office door.

"We've found Lucas." Ruth answered.

"What? Ros?"

"Not yet." Tariq answered as the threw a small box towards Calum as he caught it.

"Where are you going?" Harry stood with his hands on his hips as Ruth turned to face him.

"Shots have been fired. It looks as though Dimitri has been hurt." Ruth stated. "Adam called for medics to be ready when they get back. We still have no idea what state Lucas is in."

"The video is definately a fake." Malcolm stated. "A good fake, but nevertheless."

"Thank God." Zoe sighed. She had always had a soft spot for Lucas and knew Emma adored him. Even though she was with Zaf and Lucas had married Ros she would always be grateful that he had persuaded her to come back to England. To MI5.

"Why are you going down there?" Harry marched across as he pulled on his jacket.

"Tim Morganston is an idiot but he is clever enough to wire that place to blow. Now I dunno how you both knew where it was or what happened there but the others can barely pick up a signal in that place. We have no idea if they can hear us." Calum explained. "If I can get there in time, I can boost the signal so that Tariq and Malcolm can run it through the relay and hopefully we'll be able to keep the channel open."

"Right." Harry nodded. He had long since given up trying to understand half of what his technkcal officers said. Ruth had been known to loose him more than once when discussing her hacking skills.

"We also had another comunicae from them." Zoe sighed as she picked up the paper from her desk. as Ruth swore.

"The only Homer these idiots know anything about is Bart's father." She turned away as Calum reached the Pods. Harry smiled slightly as she avoided his gaze, the anger at her friends' abduction still burned. She knew Harry was going to leave with Calum. She knew him too well to try to stop him. Harry nodded once before following the newest member of the team out of the Pods.

#######################

A/N Ok, fluff next time I promise.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer not mine :(**

**Reunited?**

Harry pushed the accelerator pedal as far as it would go, silently praying that the streets would be kind to him. The last thing he needed was to kill himself and Calum in a major road traffic accident before he could be of any use to his team. Calum talked constantly beside him as he glared at the small electronic device in his hand. He swore under his breath as Harry narrowly missed a cyclist. He knew he had to keep getting the information through to Erin and Zaf. The last thing he needed was for something to happen to his friend, he'd seen how devastated Rosie had been when her father and sister had been killed. He had no idea what would happen if he had to tell the six year old that her mother was dead too. The loss of Sophie and Paul was still too raw for Erin, never mind the little girl.

############

"Zaf." Erin hissed as they made their way through the darkened corridor. He nodded once as they reached the staircase. Calum swore in his ear as he heard Zaf mutter something about not being able to see anything. Harry remained silent as he went even further over the speed limit. He just hoped Ruth would be able to bale him out as yet another speed camera flashed in protest. He knew that unless she worked her magic his driving licence would be a thing of the past.

"Harry." Calum broke his reverie as he swung the 4x4 around the corner.

"What?"

"This place."

"What about it?"

"Why were you there with Ruth? How come she doesn't even remember getting there?" Calum knew he had hit a raw nerve as he watched his boss tense.

"I got there in a body bag. Ruth arrived a short while later." Harry explained. "We were there because a terrorist wanted to kill us. If it wasn't for Ros and Lucas we would both be dead."

"Right." Calum returned his attention to the small electronic device in his hands as he heard Beth swear. "Dimitri is down."

"Explain." Harry barked as he tried not to kill an unfortunate cyclist that had just happened to get in his way.

"Beth just said. Dimitri has been shot." Calum almost spat through gritted teeth. "He hasn't said a word since. Adam has called for medical back up. Still no sign of Ros or Lucas."

"That footage is fake." Harry barked. "Malcolm proved it. We have to go on as if Ros and Lucas are alive. Until we have definitive evidence to the contrary."

"Good." Calum stated as Harry approached the rickety building. He couldn't help the nerves that had built up in the pit of his stomach as he saw the state of the pool car Adam had signed out earlier in the day. He automatically reached for the car door handle as Harry braked hard.

###############

Ros raised her head slightly as she tried not to focus on the pain in her ribs. She knew that several were broken but she couldn't let that slow her down._ Rosalind Sarah Myers does not just wait around to be rescued. Come on Ros. Come on. Amy and James need you. You're a Myers for God sake._ She braced her full weight against the wall as she pushed her self to her feet. There was no way she was going to sit there and wait to be murdered. It was time to fight.

#############

"Any news?" Tariq asked as Ruth shook her head. Her eyes remained focused on the computer monitor in front of her. Zoe looked across at the baby of the team. It was clear Tariq was trying to hide the fact he was terrified. Ros and Lucas were as much the heart of the team as Harry and Ruth were. He could still remember the fallout from the hotel bomb.

"Nothing yet." Zoe answered softly as she picked up the phone. "Ruth, I'll get SI10 down there."

"Adam hasn't requested armed back up." Malcolm interjected as Ruth winced slightly. The quiet analyst was as white as a sheet as she stepped back from the computer. The image of Lucas' broken and bloodied body fresh in her mind as she tried to focus on the last message from the Morganston brothers. Malcolm watched her for a moment as Tariq and Zoe talked quietly about the progress of the rescue mission.

"Ruth?" He watched as her eyes fell on the desk. "Are you well?"

"I'm fine." She smiled slightly. Malcolm sighed as the smile failed to reach her eyes. "It's just."

"Memories." He nodded. "I was here. It was an awful time. Look, Lucas is alive. I am certain of it. Ros is one of the strongest women I have ever met. She will find her way back to us." He watched as she nodded. "And Harry will be fine."

"He better be." Ruth subconsciously touched her throat as the memories of Lucas shooting Mani seconds before the knife pierced her skin flooded her mind. Her memories were forgotten for a moment as Zoe almost screamed for attention.

#############

"Adam." Alec hissed. It wasn't the first time he had wondered why he was even allowing himself to be dragged into the dramas that surrounded Section D. He had investigated more than one case with them, each time swearing to himself and Juliet that he was never going to work for Harry Pearce again. Yet, here he was creeping along a corridor with Adam as they listened to Ruth and Tariq back on the Grid. Adam raised a hand to silence him as they heard breaking glass at the other end of the corridor. In that moment Adam knew that one of his team had found something. He nodded towards the door at the end of the corridor as Alec narrowed his eyes. He just had a sixth sense that someone they cared about was behind the door.

############

"Dimitri."

"Sir." Dimitri leant heavily against the wall as the heaven's opened.

"Status report?"

"Lucas is somewhere in there. One gunman, taken out by Adam or Alec. I'm not sure who." He gasped as he held his ribs. Harry couldn't fail to notice the blood oozing out of his fingers as he leant next to him. "The others went in there. Split into two teams."

"We heard." Calum glanced around, hoping that there was no chance another sniper could be hiding around the corner.

"Beth?"

"She went in." He gasped with pain. "She has a head injury. You know what she's like. I tried but." Harry didn't like how pale the younger man was. The SBS man had gained a reputation for being a hard man with a soft heart but both Calum and Harry could see the younger man was more badly injured than he wanted to admit.

"Right." Harry tapped his ear piece. "Zoe, we need medical back up now. Dimitri has been shot, entry wound to the left rib cage."

"Sir." Dimitr gasped as Calum returned from the 4x4 carrying a first aid box. Harry smiled slightly, he only carried it in the car because Ruth had insisted. He proceeded to ignore Dimitri.

"I think he has the start of clinical shock. The exit wound is somewhere on the back of his chest. He can't really talk in sentances and the blood loss is concerning." Harry met Dimitri's eye as Beth reappeared.

"Beth."

"Stay here with Dimitri." Harry barked. "First rule, unless there is no hope do not split up." Beth nodded as she fell to her knees. Harry immediately felt guilty for snapping when he looked at the petite blonde. Beth Bailey had once been as hard as nails, but a brain injury combined with having people around that actually cared about her had softened her. He quickly realised she had been crying and had possibly thrown up. "Stay with him. Help is on the way." Beth nodded slightly as she pressed her hand against his wound. Dimitri held her gaze.

"I'm not going anywhere." She held Dimitri's gaze as ambulance sirens could be heard in the background.

################

Alec tried the doorhandle as Adam pointed his gun at the lock, ready to fire if the heavy metal door refused to give way. Alec swore under his breath as he pushed all his weight against it.

"Put that bloody gun away. You know I remember a time when we relied on skill rather than bullets." Alec hissed as he dug in his pocket for one of Tariq's little toys. "Let's try the subtle approach first." The door gave way as Adam pulled a face. He barely tolerated Alec on a good day. Today was not a good day. He held his gun at eye level as Alec pushed the door open.

"Bloody Hell."

Alec tapped his earpiece as Adam almost ran to Ros' side.

"Ros?" He knelt next to her as he stared at her chest, praying to a God he wasn't sure would listen that she was breathing. He had seen her half dead more times than he cared to think about. The image of her laying bloodied and battered in the warehouse was something he knew he would never forget. "Ros?"

"Gerrof." She tried to push his hand away as he realised just how badly hurt she was.

"It's me. It's Adam." He cupped her face so that she had to listen to him. "Look at me. Ros. Look at me."

"Bugger off." She sounded slightly more clear as he smirked.

"No. Not until you stand up and walk out of here with me." He waited as her eyes struggled to focus, a single train of blood ran down her face before dripping onto her bloodsoaked trouser leg. He fought to push the anger back down. Ros was his friend, she had once been so much more but that had been a lifetime ago. Seeing her like a broken rag doll almost broke his heart.

"Lucas dead."

"No." Adam half lifted her as Alec kept watch. "No, Erin and Zaf are looking for him. Amy and James are at mine with Carrie. It's going to be ok." Ros frowned at him. For a moment she wondered how hard she had been hit on the head. Adam was clearly talking nonsense.

"Jools"

"We know." Adam muttered as her head lolled dangerously against his shoulder. He glanced towards Alec who was growing more and more impatient before scooping Ros up in his arms. It was time to go home.

##############

Lucas opened his eyes as he realised he was freezing. The pain in his ankle made him feel sick but he knew there was nothing to be done about it. Sitting forward he tried to ignore the pain as he heard familiar voices from outside the room. He couldn't help but smile as he realised Ruth had worked it out. He was going home.

######################

A/N More tomorrow hopefully. More festive next time. Please review.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer not mine. Merry Christmas to all Spooks fans and thanks for reading.**

**A Christmas Wish.**

Zoe stared at the computer screen as she silently prayed that Erin and Zaf would say something. The team now knew Dimitri was on the way to hospital with Beth at his side while Ros had been located by Adam and Alec. They still didn't really know what had happened to her and the thought at what could happen to female officers in the field made Zoe feel slightly sick.

"Zo?" Tariq opened yet another can of Red Bull as she looked away.

"Any news?"

"No." Zoe sighed. She glanced across the Grid as her eyes focused on the Christmas tree Erin and Beth had made Calum help them with earlier that day. She couldn't really help the slight distrust she had developed of Christmas trees since the exploding tree Beth had accidentally brought on to the Grid twelve months earlier. She glanced back at Tariq as he drank his pop.

"What is it?"

"I dunno. It just doesn't feel right. You weren't here the first time Jools Silvitir was around. Danny used to refer to him as the vampire from Legoland. He is not a nice man."

"Gathered that." He sighed as Zoe shrugged her shoulders.

"He is a really nasty piece of work. Tariq, listen to me. These brothers are a nusience, neither of them really know anything about the classics yet they use them to try to make themselves look intellectual."

"They must have some knowledge of them." Ruth interrupted as she returned to her desk. "If they didn't then they wouldn't quote them. The fact they are taking Ovid and Homer completely out of context just means they don't understand them."

"Well, why?"

"I don't really understand it myself yet." Ruth shook her head in frustration. She knew that the others relied on her to see the patterns that no one else could. She winced slightly as she changed position in her seat. She was frustrated that there didn't seem to be a pattern to what the Morganston brothers were doing, just that they seemed to be intent on causing as much damage and distruction as humanley possible. She glanced across to where Malcolm was talking on the comms, she tried not to think that Harry was in the field or that two of her friends were missing. She had to focus on the threat. They were three officers down and with Zoe about to go onto maternity leave she knew they were really up against it. She turned her attention back to the computer hoping that the programme she was running would find the information she needed for all the pieces to fall into place. Her eyes immediately snapped away from the screen as she heard Malcolm swear.

"Malcolm!" Tariq was clearly shocked at the uncharacteristic outburst.

"What?" Ruth was at his side in seconds as he hit the button on the phone that converted it to speaker mode.

"They found Ros. Adam and Alec found Ros." Harry barked as Ruth closed her eyes in relief. Selfishly she was relieved Harry was alive.

"And?" Zoe met Ruth's eyes as she spoke.

"Alec is driving her to the hospital. No sign of Lucas as yet." He spoke calmly but Ruth could sense the underlying stress in his voice. She knew Harry was anything but calm.

"How is she?" Ruth asked quietly as she debated whether she wanted to know what the answer was. Harry paused as he glanced across at Calum.

"Quiet." Harry answered diplomatically. "She's been attacked quite badly but knowing Ros the guy who tried to is probably in a worse state."

"True." Tariq answered. Ruth closed her eyes as she thought of her friend. Ros was as hard as nails unless she was with people she really knew. Ruth knew very few people got to see the Ros Myers behind the facade of the Ice Queen. She knew the real Ros cared about her job and classed her friends as family despite what she had initially said. She knew by the look on Malcolm's face that the Section Chief had been badly injured. The fact she had allowed Adam to take her to hospital spoke volumes in itself. Zoe swore again as she tapped the keypad in front of her.

"I'll call the hospital, see if they can tell us anything about Dimitri." Tariq announced.

Ruth smiled sadly, Tariq really was growing up quickly. He was less and less like the baby of the team and more like a younger version of Colin than she cared to admit. She nodded slightly before excusing herself and heading off to the toilet.

########################

"Lucas?" Zaf mumbled as he drew his gun. The sound of sirens in the distance was mildly disconcerting as he watched Erin reach out and gingerly turn the door handle. They both knew that the Morganston's were notorious for laying booby traps. Even if Lucas was behind the heavy metal door there was a fair chance the door was rigged to something which would maim or kill anyone who tried to rescue him.

########################

Ros lay on the hospital trolley in the A&E treatment room. The small room was as cold as the room she had been held in just a few hours earlier. Everything felt numb, all the senses dumbed by the morphine the doctors had pumped into her system as they had pulled her wrist back into place. She glared at the ceiling as she tried to remember what Adam had said to her. She knew Amy and James were safe. Lucas was still unaccounted for. She shook her head, angry at the fact they had been split up. Even angrier at the fact she wasn't able to look for him. She knew that should the tables be turned he would be moving Hell and Highwater to find her. The longer she stared at the ceiling the angrier she became.

"Ah, Mrs North." A young doctor walked into the room as she tried to ignore the cheerful young man with a reindeer tie.

"Yes."

"Your xray looks promising."

Ros remained silent. She didn't care what her xrays looked like. She wanted to go home to her children, to be out in the field looking for the scum that had killed Lucas. Despite Adam's reassurances she knew she was now a widow. A wry smile crossed her face as she realised it was only a matter of time before her children became part of a single parent family. Either her or Lucas were going to be killed at some point. She had just hoped that the children would have been old enought to remember. She closed her eyes as she realised maybe it was better they didn't.

"The scan also revealed you have a small contusion on your right lung."

"So?"

"We'll be keeping you in for observation but hopefully no longer than two days." Ros closed her eyes. It was James' first Christmas.

"No." She forced herself into a sitting position. "Get me the Discharge Against Medical Advice paperwork. I am not staying here."

"Mrs North."

"Look, unless you would like the rest of the hospital to hear the reasons I am leaving despite your best clinical judgement I am going home." The young doctor blanched at her words. Ros narrowed her eyes as Harry appeared in the doorway.

"No, Rosalind you are not going anywhere."

"Harry."

"The children are safe and well. You'll see them in the morning."

"Harry, I am not staying here."

"You are." He watched as the doctor frowned slightly before disappearing out of the room. Harry almost felt sorry for the younger man. He realised with a start that the boy was only around the same age as Tariq.

"Harry, Lucas is dead. I need to be with my kids. How the Hell I am going to make a two and a half year old and an 11 month old baby understand that." Her voice broke slightly. "That he's gone. I just don't know."

"Ros." Harry walked across to her and rested a hand on her uninjured one. "Lucas is not dead. Zaf and Erin found him. He's been tortured but he is alive. Last I heard he is on his way here by ambulance."

"No." Ros shook her head. "He told me they had killed him."

"Who?" Harry watched as Ros closed her eyes.

"Tim Morganston. When we were alone, he told me in detail what he had done to Lucas. What he was going to do to me. I fought back, Harry. I swear I did."

"I'm sure you did."Harry smiled slightly. "I know you, Ros."

"Yeah." Ros nodded. "But with Lucas dead, I swear if it hadn't been for my kids I don't think I could have fought."

"Yes you would have." Harry felt sick. He had an idea what Ros was implying. Adam had told him a little of what she had been like when he had found her. Ros was one of the strongest women he had ever known, the fact that she now looked like a frightened young woman rather than second in command of the Security Servies Anti Terrorism section disturbed him more than he cared to admit. "Ros, Lucas is a strong man. He survived eight years of professionals torturing him mentally and physically. He will be fine. He is on his way here."

"Dimitri?" Ros' eyes widened as he looked at the hospital blanket covering the trolley.

"In theatre. Beth has gone back to the Grid on my orders."

"Shit."

"They need to get the bullet out of his lung. He's young and strong, the doctors seem hopeful." Harry watched as she nodded.

"Get me out of here. You need your Section Chief. We're short staffed as it is."

"Ros, I have run the Grid when there was only you, Lucas and Malcolm so I think I can handle a few staffing issues while you recover."

"Recover?" Ros deadpanned. "I'm fine. Get me out of here. At least so I can see my husband."

Harry sighed. He knew there was no point in arguing any further. The minute his back was turned she would terrify some young medic into discharging her, or abscond altogether. He nodded as Ros smirked slightly. She was going home.

###############

Alec walked back on to the Grid as he watched Adam lean over Erin's desk. The dark haired woman pointed to something on the screen as Adam nodded. Alec had a feeling he was going to remain caught up in the affairs of Section D a little while longer. Shaking his head he walked to the desk he had commandeered and removed the offendingly cheerful tinsel someone had hung over his monitor.

"Ok?" Tariq asked as Alec nodded.

"All spooks present and accounted for?" He asked as he glanced towards Harry's office. The Section Head was pacing up and down as he spoke on the phone, completely oblivious to anything happening out in the main Grid. Ruth seemed even more pale than usual as her and Zoe hovered around Malcolm's desk as some computer programme he didn't understand whirred into life. Tariq nodded.

"Yeah."

"Everyone alright?"

"Dimitri made it out of theatre. His parents are with him, that's why Beth came back to work. She's staying with Malcolm and Sarah tonight." He shrugged. Beth was more or less recovered from her brain injury but she had promised Dimitri she wouldn't be on her own overnight. "Ros and Lucas are, well, you know about them."

"Yeah." Alec smiled slightly. "Right, any news on these idiots?"

"Yeah." Tariq nodded enthusiastically. "Calum and I worked out where their financial backing is coming from. That's why Harry is on the phone."

"Eh?"

"Jools has been funding them to do his dirty work. We stopped his girlfriend from killing half of central London yeah? Also seems we stopped his friend from taking over half the western world."

"Jools Silvitir is involved in Nightingale? Shit."

"So it seems." Tariq glanced back at the office as he heard the door open. Harry discarded the phone the moment he realised Ruth had walked in. Alec couldn't help but shake his head. It was two days to Christmas but it looked as though there would be no let up in the case to allow Section D to celebrate. Shaken from his thoughts he answered his mobile as the theme from Mission Impossible rang out.

##############

"Hi." Lucas leant heavily on his crutches as he turned to face Ros. She nodded once as she stared at him. Harry and Adam had been telling the truth. Her husband was still alive. She took a moment to take it all in as he limped towards her. "Adam said the doctor wanted you to stay in hospital."

Ros nodded slightly as he approached her. The small treatment room too big for her. She was still too far away from him as she took in his bruised face and battered body, knowing she didn't look much different.

"No way." He smiled at her reaction.

"I'm sorry." Lucas answered honestly as he closed her eyes. One palm rested against his cheek as he spoke.

"You have nothing to appologise for." Ros smiled slightly as he turned his face to kiss her palm. "You're alive. That's all I care about."

"Ros."

"Um?"

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing."

"Ros."

"Bruised ribs, a slight concussion and a fractured scaphoid. I'm fine." She tried to smile as he raised an eyebrow.

"Ros, I heard you scream." He held her gaze as she tried to shrug off the memories that were flooding her mind. "I."

"I'm fine. I'm here and I still can't really believe you're alive." Ros ran a thumb over his lips to silence him. He knew there was no way she would ever admit to being anything other than fine.

"Ros."

"Um?"

"I love you."

Ros smiled slightly at his words. Sometimes she still couldn't believe that after everything that had happened in her life she had a husband that loved her and a family of her own. She kissed his lips gently before pulling back, the small movement made her injured ribs scream in protest.

"I know." She sighed as he rested his forehead against hers. "Let's go home."

####################

A/N More H/R next time. Merry Christmas, hope to post more tomorrow, if not the day after Boxing Day. Please review.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer not mine**

**December 23rd.**

Harry stared at the report in front of him. He knew that Ros and Lucas were lucky to be alive but so was Dimitri. He sighed heavily, relieved that he hadn't had to go to see Dimitri's parents. The look on Jo's mother's face still haunted him. He knew that breaking the worst news was part of his job, it didn't make it any easier. How many more parents would he have to deliver the news to? How many more mother's would he have to break the hearts of.

"Harry?" Ruth stood in the doorway as he dropped his pen on the desk.

"Hi."

"Are you alright?" She rested her head on the doorframe as Harry nodded before getting to his feet and crossing the office toward her.

"I should be the one asking you that." He smiled slightly as she raised an eyebrow.

"Harry, I'm pregnant. Not ill."

"I know." He glanced at her stomach as she rolled her eyes. "Doesn't stop me worrying."

"Harry."

"It was close today." Harry sighed. "Ros and the others. Any news on Dimitri?"

"Beth is at the hospital. Left with Tariq about half an hour ago. She said she'll call me when she has seen him. I know she wanted to avoid his sister. Hannah can be difficult, apparently." Ruth smiled slightly.

"Complete bitch I was told."

"Harry!" Ruth laughed lightly. "You've been listening to Beth and Erin moaning."

"I'm a spook." He shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? I eavesdrop for a living."

"Talking of being a spook." Ruth covered his hand with her own. "I've been doing a little bit of digging."

"And?"

"Jools returned alone to the UK about two months ago. He's one of the big players in Nightingale in Europe."

"Are we ever going to be rid of them?" Harry's eyes darkened as Ruth looked at the floor. She knew the legacy of Nightingale was something that haunted the members of the team that were still there. Ros still had the scars along her hands and arms from when she had been trapped and burnt in the hotel fire. Lucas still refused to talk about it while the topic of Nightingale was almost taboo amongst the rest of the team. She knew Harry felt guilty about not being able to protect Ros and Lucas or spotting Blake's betrayal sooner.

"It seems he met Tim Morganston sometime before he came across our radar last time." Ruth continued as Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. "David Morganston was in prison in time. I can't help but think Jools knows what happened with the hotel, Mace and I and the debacle surrounding Joss Myers death."

"You think he wants Nightingale to be back as a genuine threat?" Harry knew he was right the moment he had opened his mouth. Ruth closed her eyes.

"We stopped them once."

"And we will again." Harry rested his hands on her waist as hers came to rest on his forearms.

"Will we? He knows us."

"So did Joss Myers and Nick Blake." Harry met her eye as she squeezed his arms. "It seems we are always just managing to keep them at bay rather than actually removing them."

"I know. I think he is paying the Morganston brothers to get rid of us. He knows Ros is Section Chief, that Adam is Senior Case Officer. He knows us." Ruth knew she was beginning to ramble. "But then as you say Blake knew us. And apparently he tried to kill everyone more than once."

"Ruth."

"I pulled the file. Blake tried to have Section D assasinated." Ruth stared at him. "Before I came back. Harry, you promised me you wouldn't get shot and you walked in front of a bullet. You knew you were going to be shot."

"I couldn't let the others get hurt." Harry closed his eyes at the memory. "Adam had just lost Fiona, we had just lost you. Everything was a mess. Ruth." He tightened his hold on her. "I had a vest on."

"He could have shot you in the head. The leg."

"I didn't care." Harry answered honestly. "I just had to make sure the others didn't get killed. I didn't care what happened to me. I'd lost you. Nothing else mattered."

"Harry." Ruth blinked back the tears. "You never lost me."

"You were in exile. You were supposed to be dead." Harry paused as his voice broke. "I had lost you."

Ruth shook her head slowly as he closed his eyes. She closed the already minute gap between them before kissing him softly on the lips. Suddenly she was glad the rest of the team had gone home. Harry pulled back when the need for oxygen began to overwhelm him. He rested his forehead against hers as he tried to catch his breath. Ruth held his face in her hands as she tried not to cry.

"Harry." She closed her eyes as he held her. "What if?"

"What?"

"Jools was always trying to get you away from whatever scheme he was involved in. Mace and Silvitir were as thick as thieves. He would know that to get Nightingale back into the UK he would have to get us out of the picture." Ruth watched as his eyes widened.

"He paid Morganston to kill Ros and Lucas? To tail Adam and Zaf?"

"It would explain the Homer and Plato quotes. I can see him giving them bits of information that he would think would distract us. Make us sloppy, make us miss something." Ruth tensed as she spoke, Harry could tell she was beginning to get angry. For a moment he began to pity Jools. Ruth was as formidable as Ros when she wanted to be.

#################

Beth closed her eyes as she leant against the wall. Tariq had gone in search of a payphone, leaving her alone in the corridor outside the room where Dimitri was being treated. She was desperate to see him but still couldn't shake the feeling he wouldn't want to see her. The room door opened as a nurse roughly the same age as Tariq walked out.

"Are you Beth?" The red haired asked as Beth looked up and nodded. "Dimitri is asking for you. Has been since before his sister arrived."

"Thanks." Beth smiled slightly.

"You can go in, if you like pet." She opened the door wider so Beth could pass. For a moment she hesitated as she remembered how deathly pale he had been. She glanced along the corridor, looking for Tariq. For a way out. The nurse waited a moment before starting to close the door.

"Ok." Beth sighed as she fought the butterflies in her stomach. It was Dimitri, her best friend and boyfriend. She swallowed hard as she tried to fight the image of him bleeding as Harry ordered her to stay with him. Before she could say another word she stepped past the nurse into the small hospital room where Dimitri was sleeping. "Dim?"

##############

Ros slept fitfully next to Lucas as he stared at the ceiling. He hadn't read the report she had given to Harry once they had returned to Thames House. He knew what had happened to him was bad enough but at least he had no broken bones. He brushed a strand of blonde hair away from her face as she turned in her sleep. For a moment he wondered if she would wake Amy and James.

"Ros." He whispered as a single tear escaped her eye. She was still asleep and obviously having a nightmare. He pulled back the duvet as he finally saw the extent of the beating she had taken. The broken wrist was just the most visible injury. Her chest was covered in angry bruises which extended over to her shoulder. He frowned as he ran his hand down to her hip. Her legs and thighs bore angry red marks. Lucas narrowed his eyes, knowing he would kill Tim Morganston should he ever meet him. "Ros." He whispered again as she tossed and turned next to him.

"Ros." He grabbed her wrist as she hit out. She froze before her eyes flew open.

"I."

"It's ok." Lucas met her eyes as she blinked the tears away. He knew if he asked there was no way she would admit to being upset. It just didn't happen.

"You ok?"

"Me?" Lucas asked as he let go of her wrist. "I'm ok." He paused. "Actually, no I'm not ok. My friend was shot today, almost died in his girlfriend's arms. My wife was abducted and used as a punchbag while I got my fair share of a beating."

"I'm sorry." Ros pushed the duvet off her legs as she got to her feet, grabbing the white dressing gown from where it had fallen the night before. Lucas watched for a moment before following her. He had never seen Ros so broken and he had never known her to appologise.

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

"Waking you up. Getting you and Dimitri into that situation, I am Section Chief. You are my responsibility. If any of my team are injured in the field it is my responsibility." She stared out of the bedroom window, her voice deliberately low and calm to avoid waking the children. Lucas crossed the room to her.

"You are not responsible for any of this. Jools Silvitir has always been a meglomaniac, power obsessed scrote of a man. We knew that when he vanished it wasn't the last we'd see of him. This is not your fault. What that man did to you." Lucas hated how she tried not to flinch as he gently turned her to face him. "Is not your fault."

"Lucas." Ros stared at the tattoos on his chest. He gently tilted her face to look into her eyes. "I should have called for back up. Should have had Adam and Zaf there, Beth and Dimitri or even Erin. Someone should have been there. I should have gone in on my own."

"Ros." He sighed as she closed her eyes. "It wouldn't have made a difference. He drugged you. There was no way I was letting him leave with you. I just regret the fact I didn't kill him with my bare hands there and then."

"Silvitir was so close to Mace. So close to him, and had my father in his back pocket." Ros sighed. "But Morganston? How the Hell did those two pal up? Like the criminal version of the Likely Lads."

"Now." Lucas kissed her gently, relieved that she hadn't pulled away. Instead her uninjured hand came to rest on his bare chest. "That is showing your age."

"I nearly lost you. He could have killed you." Ros hated how weak she sounded. She knew that in the cold light of day there was no way she would talk in such a way. Lucas kissed her hair as he held her to him. He couldn't help the tears that sprung to his own eyes. He knew more had happened than he had been told. At the very least Ros was questioning herself which was something he had never known her to do.

"I told you, you're stuck with me." He smiled slightly as her arms tightened around his chest. He knew she was exhausted but she hadn't pushed him away. For that he was eternally grateful. As he tightened his hold on her he smiled as she kissed his neck. He knew that when they finally caught the Morganston brothers and Jools Silvitir he wouldn't be able to stop himself from punching the living daylights out of the man that had hurt his wife. He just prayed it wasn't him that arrested the man.

###################

Malcolm poured the coffee as Sarah threw the remote control back on the sofa. She knew something was bothering her husband but she knew better than to question him. Sighing heavily she took the mug from him.

"Thanks."

"Bad day I'm afraid." Malcolm sighed as he sat next to her. "Dimitri is in hospital. Beth wanted to visit before she came over. You don't mind her staying here?"

"Of course I don't. Poor girl." Sarah sipped her coffee. "He'll be ok? Dimitri, I mean. You said her and Tariq had gone to visit him."

"Yes." Malcolm smiled slightly. "Yes, I think he will be. Tariq was to phone when they left the hospital. I think it may be prudent if he stayed here tonight too. I don't think any of the team should be out alone at the moment. Alec was concerned about it too." He ran a hand over his eyes. "I fear our enemies are returning to get their revenge, but that these young people are going to pay for our sins."

"Malcolm?"

He rested his Star Wars mug back on the coffee table before turning to her.

"I know you've signed the Act. I know I can talk to you but it makes no sense. We've been tracking a threat for weeks. Since November. It's almost Christmas and we have no idea what they are planning. Just that Jools Silvitir is somewhere in it all. I can't help but think he wants to destroy us."

"Nightingale?"

"How?"

"Believe it or not my Cariad, there are televisions in prison. Newspapers. I did a little digging when I got out. I was scared you were involved." She met his gaze as a strand of auburn hair fell across her face. Malcolm nodded as a small smile crossed his face.

"How can we stop this? Ros and Lucas were hurt, Adam and Zaf threatend. Zoe's about to have her baby and Dimitri was shot." He sighed as Sarah took his hand in her smaller one.

"We do what we've always done. We pick up what pieces there are and we put them back together." She smiled as he kissed her hand. "Of course Tariq and Beth are to stay here tonight. That's if you can prize the girl away from his bedside. Come on, let's go to the hospital. I know you wont rest until you've seen the kids."

"Kids?" Malcolm smiled as Sarah stood up.

"Yes, thats what they are. Barely more than kids. All of them." She paused. "If Jools is involved in whatever it is you are investigating he will exploit that weakness. That lack of knowledge. You know as well as I do, Tessa was always the brains in that partnership. Mace was also so entrenched in whatever was going on that it was impossible to seperate them. Now that Ros killed Mace I can see Jools trying to gain his position. If he has to use a couple of hired thugs to remove the threat Section D pose to his plans you know he will."

#####################

A/N Is Sarah right?


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Fairytale of Thames House**

Adam marched along the waterfront as Alec strolled alongside him. The older man clearly had all the time in the world, whereas Adam was keen to get the meet with the asset over and done with. Alec stuck his hands in his pockets as they walked. The mild winter weather was as disconcerting as the snow had been the year before.

"This bloke reliable?" Adam nodded as Alec spoke. He knew Adam had a thousand assets and contacts from his time in Six aswell as his time in Section D.

"He worked with Mace and Juliet for years. Surprised she never mentioned him." Adam smirked slightly as Alec narrowed his eyes.

"She doesn't really talk about her time at Thames House." Alec narrowed his eyes.

"I bet she doesn't." Adam narrowed his eyes.

"So? Is he reliable?" Adam nodded once as Alec raised an eyebrow. He was determined not to loose his temper.

"Yeah. Ok?"

"Fine." Alec smirked. "I just didn't fancy ending up like Ros and the lads. Or worse. Did you see the black eye Lucas has?"

"You won't"

"Funny how that doesn't really reassure me."

"The only black eye you are in danger of is from me." Adam walked away as he saw the asset a few feet away.

"Alright, keep your knickers on." Alec smirked as Adam shot him a death glare Ros would have been proud of.

###########

"Tim and David Morganston." Ruth began as the smartboard at the head of the Briefing Room changed to show ID photos of the two brothers. "Born in South Africa to ex pat parents in 1969 and 1973 respectively." Ruth stated what the team already knew. "Mum, Joan died of breast cancer in 1995 while dad Jim died in 2002 aged 78. The boys have one sister, Helen Jarvis." The screen changed again to show a pretty young woman with shoulder length black hair. Ros and Harry exchanged glances, both knew they had seen the girl somewhere before. "Aged 33 she is the only one of the three siblings not to have gone to prison. She's also the only one not born outside the UK. The family returned to the UK in 1976. Helen married Andy Jarvis last year. The wedding was not attended by her brothers, apparently they aren't close since her paternity has been in question."

"Who do they think daddy is?" Zaf asked as all eyes remained on the screen.

"Likely candidates are Olvier Mace or Ilya Gavrik. It is also rumoured that Helen has a thing for older men." She paused as Ros raised an eyebrow. She knew none of them would ever dare comment on the 12 year age gap between her and Harry.

"Go on." Beth probed.

"She had an affair with Jools Silvitir about five years ago."

"So," Ros folded her arms as she glared at the screen. "Helen may or may not be the daughter of one of the planet's most conniving spies and she's been knocking off the vampire from the Foriegn Office? Can see why the Brother's Grim were a bit miffed. How did they get involved with Silvitir?"

"Seems that the older brother was in Silvitir's good books when Helen was in his bed." Malcolm interjected as all eyes turned to him. "Sorry for being so uncouth but I really do not like that man."

"I had noticed." Harry turned to his friend. "Tariq? Can you find out where Jools is getting his money from? I know his father died twenty years ago, leaving him a substantial inheritance."

"Well, there's your answer." Calum interjected as Erin shot him a death glare from behind her long brown hair.

"It was twenty years ago." Harry stated. "He was an idiot in those days. Spent most of it on gambling and women."

"So, the cash has to be coming from somewhere." Lucas turned to see Calum stare at the desk. He shook his head slightly before turning back to see Ros wince as she changed position. He was still worried about her and knew more had happened in the time they had been apart than she had told him or put in her report. Ruth's warning that the service was different for female officers rang out in his mind.

"Mace and Gavrik are dead." Zoe spoke for the first time.

"Yeah." Ros frowned.

"Well, Mace is." Ruth answered as all eyes turned to her. "The car that followed Adam and Zaf the other day was registered to Ilya Gavirk. Not the FSB, not Sasha but Ilya. So, I did some digging. Elena and Coaver are dead."

"Gavrik survived." Harry met Ruth's eye as she nodded.

"How?" Tariq was genuinely bemused. "He was murdered when he returned to Russia."

"No." Harry sighed heavily. "We were told he was murdered. It seemed he faked his death."

"Why?" Tariq was genuinely at a loss. The idea that someone would fake their own death was completely alien to him.

"That is what we need to find out." Harry stood, effectively ending the meeting. Ros carefully pushed herself away from the table she had perched herself against as everyone began prepairing to leave the room. Ruth nodded towards Harry as she left the Briefing Room with Lucas.

"Ros? A word please."

#####################

"Harry is going to go mental." Calum stated as he loitered behind Erin's car. The rain began to turn from drizzle to more pronounced rain as Erin rolled her eyes.

"He didn't say we couldn't have a New Year's Eve party. I know with one thing and another the whole Christmas party went by the wayside but there's no reason we can't have a New Year's Eve drink." Erin reasoned.

"That's true."

"Calum." Erin smiled. "Stop worrying. We need a break from all the nightmare of the last few months. Plus Rosie is looking forward to it."

"You are bringing your six year old?"

"Yeah." Erin handed him a crate of wine. "Why not? I am not leaving her alone on New Years Eve. Mum is off to a party with her friends from the WI. And Wes and the other kids will be there. I know Ruth said she was going to ask Nick if he wanted to come."

"So, Ruth knows about this?"

"Of course she does. Look it's not until next week. We have all this crap with the Morganstons' to deal with and then we have New Years' Eve to keep an eye on. Apparently last year it was a bit eventful." She smiled as Calum pulled a face.

"When is anything with Section D not eventful?"

#########################

Malcolm stared at the CCTV footage of the cafe where Ros and Lucas had been taken. He knew that the clues they were all looking for were there somewhere but he wasn't the analyst Ruth was. He closed his eyes as the footage began to reach the end.

"Ruth?" Malcolm jumped slightly as he noticed something on the screen.

"Yeah?" She sipped her tea as she approached his desk. "Malcolm? What's wrong?"

"Am I seeing things?"

"Ah." Ruth reached across him and tapped a few keys on the computer in front of her. "How did we miss this?" Malcolm turned to face her. "That car."

"I know." He turned away again. "It's the same one that followed Adam and Zaf."

"Yes." Malcolm nodded.

"I have to talk to Harry."

######################

Tariq stretched as he waited for the computer programme to finish it's search. He knew the state of the art system would take a few minutes to find what he asked it to. Smiling slightly he couldn't help but notice how Lucas stayed closer to Ros than usual. It seemed that something was amiss. He had no idea what but Ros had been quieter than usual. The Ice Queen looks and acerbic comments were there but something was different. Then there was Zoe, it was obvious she was uncomfortable but then he put that down to her pregnancy. His mum had been the same when she was having his baby sister, Afia had been a big baby too. He turned away as Zoe raised an eyebrow.

"Tariq?"

"Yeah."

"You ok?"

"Yeah."

"Why are you watching everyone?"

"Er, I'm a spy." He deadpanned as Zoe rolled her eyes before turning back to the background check she had been asked to do. Tariq smirked before turning back to his monitor. Neither had seen Ruth descreetly leave the Grid as Harry stared out of his office window. Beth sighed and pushed her chair away from her desk, inable to believe that she worked in the security services but was surrounded by such unobservant people. She knew Zaf, Dimitri and Ros would have spotted it in seconds - as Harry had done. A quick nod in the direction of the office as Harry met her gaze and she was through the Pod and after her friend.

###################

"You believe that crap?" Alec pulled at his seatbelt as he spoke. The rain pelted the car bonnet as Adam became errily still. "I mean Jason Davies was talking bull if you ask me. Even if I'd had a drink I'd have been able to see that."

"Alec."

"I mean all that crap about Mace still having a hold on things. Ros blew his head off. Like to see how that means he still has a hold on things." Alec shook his head slowly.

"Alec."

"Bloody idiot. Anyway, afternoon out of Thames House, I suppose."

"Alec."

"What?"

"Carefully take your seatbelt off and get out of the car."

"Eh?" Alec slowly released the still unbuckled belt as he registered what Adam was saying. He nodded slowly as his hands gingerly reached the door handle. "Right."

"One of us open the door and this thing could blow." Adam was surprised at how calm he sounded, despite the fact that he was terrified he would never see Carrie and the kids again.

"Nah." Alec gripped the door handle with more confidence. "Not reliable enough. He had no idea you would bring anyone with you. It's the engine. You start it and the engine blows up. Standard psycho procedure."

"Only you would know that."

"I wasn't always IA, Adam." Alec fought the anger burning in his stomach. "On three."

"One."

"Two."

Both men ran from the car as the vehicle was obliterated in the explosion that followed. Alec threw the younger man to the ground. Heat sheared through the air as Alec forced Adam's head into the pavement. Adam swore loudly as the bonnet of the Peaugot he had signed out of the Thames House carpool exploded. Alec rolled onto his side as sirens began whaling as people screamed.

"Adam?"

"Yeah." Adam coughed.

"You ok?"

"Getting a bit fed up of driving around exploding cars."

"Fair point." Alec coughed as he rested his elbows on his knees. "Do you think you can get up?"

"Yeah." Adam coughed as his ribs protested. It seemed Alec had thrown him clear of the explosion more forcably than he had intended to. "We have to get back to Thames House. I reckon the Morganston brothers are starting to play dirty."

"Yeah, well." Alec ran a hand over his dust covered face. "If they can, so can we."

#############################

A/N More soon. Happy New Year.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer not mine**

**So much for a quiet Christmas?**

Harry answered his phone as he watched Beth follow Ruth through the Pods. He couldn't help but worry as he watched the Pods doors close behind the junior case officer. He frowned as his attention was brought back to the present.

"Adam?" He stood and began pacing his office as Adam explained about what happened in the explosion. He couldn't really belived Jools Silvitir would stoop so low. Corruption was one thing, murder was quite another. Ending the call he walked towards the main Grid, relieved that he didn't have to tell the others that Adam and Alec had been killed. He opened the door as Beth walked onto the Grid and shrugged her shoulders.

"Where's Ruth?" Tariq asked as he looked up from the computer.

"Medical." Beth stated as Harry visibly paled. "She's ok, just a little morning sickness." She held Harry's gaze as Ros' eyebrows shot up to her hairline, the only outward indication that she was taking any notice of what was goign on around her.

"Adam just called. It seems our friends have taken things to another level." He pinched the end of his nose as Ros narrowed her eyes.

"Harry."

"There was a car bomb. God knows how Adam and Alec got out with cuts and bruises. Fire Service are on scene as we speak." He paused. "What I want to know is why Jools Silvitir has started playing dirty. Erin. I want you and Dimitri to bring in anyone that may be linked to these jokers. We don't have enough evidence to prove anything yet."

"Ah, Harry." Malcolm spoke up as the printer next to his desk whirred into life. "I beg to differ."

#####################

"That's fine." Ruth raised an eyebrow as the doctor took her temperature. "Ruth? Have you noticed anything other than feeling dizzy recently?"

"Not really." She stared at the ceiling as she spoke.

"Ruth, in my experience, not really means yes but you don't want to tell me."

"Mike." Ruth paused. "I'm 41 years old. Things are hardly going to be as straight forward for me as they would someone Beth's age."

"Beth is 30. Hardly what would be considered a gym slip mum if she was pregnant." Mike smiled kindly as Ruth looked away. "Have you had any morning sickness? Noticed your wedding ring is a little too small? You have been attending all your antenatal appointments?" He narrowed his eyes as she closed hers. "You have been attending all your antenatal appointments. Haven't you?"

"I missed one."

"When?"

"Yesterday." She bit her lip as Mike nodded. "The case got in the way. I lost track of time that's all."

"Ok." Mike nodded. "Ruth, you need to have a few tests run. I can call the midwife, have her meet us at the hospital. Or."

"No." Ruth pushed herself into a sitting position. "No, there isn't time."

"Ruth."

"No, it's Nick's first Christmas with us. I can't go into hospital today." She was on the verge of tears as she looked away. "I am not spoiling that."

"You being ill might spoil it. Ruth you have the early signs of pre eclampsia. Your blood pressure is high and you are having dizzy spells and headaches. And I'd bet money on no one in your family, least of all Harry knowing any of it." Mike folded his arms as Ruth looked away guiltily.

"He knows about the morning sickness."

"What else don't I know?" Both turned to see Harry stood in the doorway. Mike closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Patient confidentiality, Harry." Mike shook his head. "I'll leave you two alone for a few minutes."

Harry met Ruth's gaze as Mike slipped quietly out of the room. She couldn't tear her eyes away as she fought the tears. Harry had no idea what to do. She wiped angrily at her face as the tears began to spill down her cheeks.

"Harry." She bit her lip as Harry walked towards her. "Harry. I."

"Come here." He pulled her into his arms as she clung to him. "We go to the hospital. Ros can handle the JIC. Let the midwife have a look at you. Shouldn't there be another scan due soon?"

"How did you know that?"

"Catherine had two scans. Anyway, the books say there is a scan around nine weeks and then about twenty weeks."

"Books?"

"It isn't just you that can do their research." He kissed her hair as she tightened her hold on him. "Come on, I'll drive you to the hospital."

"You're needed here." Ruth sighed as he tightened his hold on her.

"Ros can handle the clean up. She could do my job with her eyes closed. And if Towers calls then she can tell him that I'm checking on Adam and Alec."

"What? Why are they at the hospital?" Ruth panicked slightly as Harry sighed heavily.

"They are ok. Just cuts and bruises, Alec may have broken his ankle. Seems there was a car explosion after they spoke to Adam's asset. They actually have some useful information. Dimitri and Beth are following it up now while Tariq is going through the financial trail left by Jools."

"There is not going to be anything to find in the usual channels. Harry, you know as well as I do if he is paying the Morganston brothers to get us out of the way there isn't going to be a money trail. Not an obvious one." She held the lapels of his jacket as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I know." He sighed. "If there is one thing that man is, it's sly. He wants Nightingale back on the map and he knows I'd prefer it if he rots in Hell."

"So, I can't go to the hospital. I have to help Tariq go through the records. I have to analyse what we find and ."

"And nothing. Tariq can manage for now. Please, Ruth. Let's just get you and Squeak checked over. For me." She closed her eyes, nodded slightly and smiled as he took her hand.

"I'm sorry."

"Ruth." He brought her hand to his lips as she bit her bottom lip. "Nothing to appologise for."

######################

"The money." Tariq rested his head on one hand as he watched endless streams of numbers run up the computer screen in front of him.

"What about it?" Erin asked as she leant over him. Calum took a sip of his coffee as he pulled a face.

"It doesn't originate in this country." Callum answered as Tariq nodded.

"Then where?"

"Dunno yet." Tariq leant back in his chair as he ran his hands through his hair. Malcolm walked towards them with a fresh coffee in his hand. "But it definately isn't coming from any UK source. And at the moment I don't think it is coming from Europe."

"Where could it be from?" Zoe pushed her chair away from her desk as she tried and failed to get comfortable.

"I wouldn't like to guess." Malcolm took another sip from his mug. Zoe and Erin exchanged glances.

"How about an educated hypothesis?" Erin asked as Malcolm sighed.

"Russia. I'd like Ruth to check but I'd say the feed for the money comes from somewhere in Russia." Erin swore as Zoe rested a hand on her stomach. The Grid fell silent for a moment as they digested the information. Erin recovered from the news first.

"I'll call Ros."

################################################

Ros pulled the car to a halt as the wind and rain battered the small pool car. The theory that Ilya Gavrik was still alive and working with Jools Silvitir made her skin crawl. She glanced across at Lucas as she wondered whether she should have insisted he stayed on the Grid, rather than sit next to her in the car park of a major european bank.

"Ros?"

"I don't like it."

"Gavrik and Silvitir?"

"Hardly Little and Large." He smirked. "Gavrik definately has an account here?" Ros nodded as she remembered how exited Tariq had been to find the supposedly hidden account. She also knew Erin ran an asset that worked there. She just hoped the austere building would hold the answers they so desperately needed.

"Now, who is showing their age?" She smiled slightly as he held her gaze.

"Funnily enough Lucas, chasing odious little wanna be despots was not the way I wanted to spend Christmas Eve." Lucas nodded as he rested his hand on hers.

"Visiting Adam and Alec in A&E wasn't exactly part of the plan either." He watched as she nodded. "Ros, are you sure about this?"

"Adam trusted that asset." Ros closed her eyes as Lucas raised an eyebrow. "He had been running him for years. Since he was in 6. I can't see him deliberately giving Adam bad intel. Not unless someone was paying him more."

"You think his asset was working both sides?"

"Well, since he turned up face down in the Thames it's a little difficult to ask him." She opened the car door just as her mobile began ringing. Cursing loudly she answered the call. "Zoe, this had better be good."

#######################

Catherine stared up at the walls of Thames House. She knew that her father was going to be annoyed with her for turning up with Charlie and Nick but she had no idea what else to do. She struggled through the revolving doors as Nick helped with the pram. Charlie slept peacefully as she waved to Stan before heading towards the lifts. Nick fell silent as he watched his step sister. He knew something was wrong. He never went to Thames House. The fact she had insisted they go there worried him more than anything else.

#########################

"Alec and Adam are ok. I've sent them both home." Harry took a seat next to Ruth as she lay on the bed. Ruth smiled slightly as he took her hand. The sonographer ignored them for a moment as they talked quietly.

"Ok."

"Yes, thankyou." Ruth answered as the sonographer lifted her hospital gown.

"Sorry, but this is going to be cold." She smiled as Ruth winced as the cold gel hit her abdomen. She couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. She knew Mike had been worried about her but she knew there was something wrong. Just not with her and the baby. Harry fell silent as the image of their child appeared on the screen.

"Is everything alright?" Ruth glanced at Harry as he spoke. She had never seen her husband so transfixed on anything.

"Yes." The sonographer smiled as Ruth let out a sigh of relief. "Baby is fine, everything seems to be in full working order. So do you want to know what you're having?"

"It's a girl." Harry stated as Ruth rolled her eyes.

"Please, if only to settle the argument before he drives me to distraction." Ruth smiled as she felt Harry squeeze her hand.

"Well, he's right. I'd start buying pink if I was you." Harry smiled broadly as Ruth stared at the screen.

"Our little girl."

"Yes, and she is perfect. Now you jusst have to look after mum." The sonographer stated. "She's due in around ten weeks. Ruth, you need to take care of yourself."

"She will." Harry met her gaze as she blinked back tears. "She will."

####################

"Can I help you?" Erin walked towards the three intruders as Dimitri looked up.

"Nick! Catherine? What are you doing here?"

"I have no idea." Nick shrugged as he walked towards his mum's colleagues. "She said we had to come here. Where's Mum and Harry?"

"They had to go out." Malcolm smiled slightly, aware that neither Ruth or Harry would want Nick to find out about Ruth going to hospital.

"I really need to talk to Dad." Catherine sighed. "Uncle Malcolm, I really need to speak to my father."

"What on earth is the matter?" Malcolm took his goddaughter's hand and ushered her towards Zaf's empty chair.

"Where is everyone?" She looked around the half empty Grid.

"Ros and Lucas are following up a lead. Zaf is meeting an asset with Beth and Ruth and Harry had to ." He paused as he tried to think of a convincing lie.

"Had to meet with Towers." Calum interjected as Catherine closed her eyes in frustration. "I'm Calum. Harry never said he had a daughter."

"And to think he used to worry about me flirting with Cath." Zaf laughed as he walked through the pods with Beth. Calum glared at him as Malcolm spun in his seat. "Mr Younis. Did you find anything of use?"

"Oh yes. You two ok? What's happened?" Zaf knew that no one outside of Section D turned up unless there was something wrong. Especially family members, even if they did know what their loved ones did for a living.

"I dunno." Nick raised his arms in the air as Beth ushered him away in search of coke and chocolate, all the while talking about the new Wii game she wanted to try. Catherine smiled gratefully as she realised what Beth was doing.

"Graham. I need to talk to Dad about my brother."

"Do not tell me he is drinking again." Zaf snapped, remembering the effect Graham's substance abuse had on Ruth and Harry once before. They all knew he had been sober for months.

"No." Catherine shook her head. "That's just it. Him and Terri. They went to visit mum and vanished. No one will tell me anything at the prison. I don't know if they even got there but neither are answering their phones." Malcolm patted her hand as she spoke.

"I'll get hold of your father."

#############

Harry held Ruth's hand as they walked towards the car. He couldn't help but run his eyes over every inch of the black 4x4 as he thought about what had happened to his friends earlier that day. Ruth squeezed his hand as her mobile began to signal a text message had arrived.

"Oh my God."

"Ruth?"

She handed him the phone as the color drained from her face. "I think that's all the proof we need that Silvitir is making this personal."

"No." Harry read the message. "They are not touching that boy. Graham and Teresa are going to be fine. Ruth, call Catherine, have her take the kids to the Grid." Ruth nodded as they got in the car. Suddenly all thoughts of putting her feet up until after Christmas fled. The only thing that mattered was finding her step son and his fiance. Until then there was no way they were going to have a quiet Christmas.

A/N dunno about this chapter. Please let me know if I should delete it and start again.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer Not mine.**

**A Father's Choice.**

Harry remained silent as he walked towards the Pods. Ruth knew exactly what was going on in his mind. She knew him too well and was just as worried and angry as he was. The Pod doors whooshed open as she checked her mobile phone once more.

"Harry." Malcolm started as Harry almost collided with Charlie's pushchair.

"Malcolm."

"Catherine brought the boys here."

"Thank God." Ruth sighed as she shrugged off her jacket. Harry nodded as he realised Charlie was sound asleep and clearly enjoying his afternoon nap. He smiled slightly as he watched Charlie sleep. Ruth looked up to see Beth poke her head around the door of the kitchenette.

"Ruth." She nodded towards the kitchenette as Ruth nodded back before walking towards her. She understood exactly what Beth meant.

####################

"Calum?" Tariq stared at the computer screen as he waited for the map to load up. The schematics of the building Ros and Lucas were currently ensconsed in began to flood the screen.

"Yo."

"This bank. You know anything about it?"

"Apart from the fact that it is laundering money for terrorists?"

"Yeah." Tariq looked up. "I mean apart from that."

"Nah." Calum kept his eyes on the computer. "Have you got the Boss on your screen? I can't see any sign of her or Lucas."

"Ros is wearing a wire and a bug. So's Lucas."

"But they aren't working. Or at least the screen isn't picking up." Calum froze as he felt Harry rest a hand on his shoulder.

"Get a message to my Section Chief. Her and Lucas back here. Now." His voice was dangerously low as he saw Tariq look up.

"The tracers."

"Make it happen, Tariq."

"Yes Sir." Tariq tapped a few more keys on the computer as the Pods opened to allow Adam and Alec to return to the Grid.

"I want everyone back here now. Briefing Room in thirty minutes."

###########################

Ros walked along the heavily carpeted corridor of the bank flanked by Lucas and the bank's buisness consultant as they headed towards her office on the third floor. The sunlight streamed through the curtains as Lucas kept his gaze straight ahead hoping that no one would ask about his black eye.

"I assure you there have been no security breaches at this bank." She almost spat the words as Ros remained stoic.

"Good to hear it." Ros lied. She had taken an instant dislike to the thin brunette the moment she had spoken. The cut glass English accent had grated on her nerves from the moment the other woman had opened her mouth.

"But there have been.." Lucas paused as he tried to get used to his Russian accent. "Some irregularities."

"Well."

"Just show us your records Ms Porter." Ros smiled sweetly. "I am sure there are no problems that we can't sort out."

"Indeed." Helen Porter narrowed her eyes as Ros held her gaze. Lucas recognised the signs. Ros had a gut instinct the woman in front of her was in trouble. She may have been using a different name to the one Ruth had told them at the briefing but he was certain the slim brunette was definately Helen Jarvis. All they needed to do was get her to tell the truth and they may finally have the break in the case they needed.

"Shall we?" He nodded towards her office door as Helen returned her attention back to him. She smiled coyly as Ros decided she hated the woman more than ever. Lucas couldn't help but let his lips curl into a slight smile. It was nice to know that just sometimes his wife could be jealous. He soon changed his mind as he saw the look in Ros' eye. He knew she was remembering the debacle with Maya when she had been pregnant with James. He was in no mood to return to the time when his marriage had nearly ended.

"Lets." Ros pushed open the office door and stepped past the pair as Lucas took his mobile phone from his pocket.

"Appologies." He spoke in a heavily accented Russian accent hoping against hope that it soundded authentic after so long being back in the UK. "I must take this. I have been waiting for this call for long time."

"Of course." Helen smiled sweetly, unaware that Ros was looking for any excuse not to rip her head off.

"Nikoli?" She met Lucas' gaze.

"I appologise Rachel but I must." He held her gaze for a moment as Ros realised what he was talking about.

"Ok."

#####################

"Nick?" Ruth stepped into the kitchen as the teenager placed his glass in the sink.

"Graham and Terri." He paused as she stood next to him at the sink. "They've been taken. Someone took them."

"Yes. It seems that way at the moment." Ruth watched as he closed his eyes.

"Why?"

"There are bad people in the world."

"Yeah." Nick agreed as Ruth watched a little more of his childhood innocence melt away. "I know that. I remember most of what things were like when we lived with Dad in Cyprus."

"I know."

"Mum. This is nuts. Graham and Terri wouldn't hurt anyone. Why would anyone want to hurt them?"

"Do you remember when I brought you and George to England?" Ruth sighed as she rested a hand on her stomach.

"Yeah."

"You know how your father died."

"He was murdered. If it wasn't for Malcolm, Ros and Lucas you, Harry and I would be dead too." He stared at her as she nodded. "You told me those people. That man would never come after us again. That was why I had to go back to Cyprus. So that no one would come back to get us."

"I know. That was one of the reasons. You know I wanted to keep you here with me but George and I never married so until you contacted us when you were in the orphanage there was no way I could have any claim on you."

"I know." He smiled sadly. "But why would anyone do this? It isn't them. That man."

"Mani is dead." Ruth stated plainly as Nick's eyes widened. "He died that day. Lucas saved my life. Saved Harry's but Mani died."

"He wasn't exactly top of my Christmas card list but I didn't realise he was dead." Nick watched as Ruth held his gaze. "Mum, is this something to do with that?"

"I don't think so. But you know what Harry and I do for a living."

"Yeah, you're an analyst in the City and Harry is the head of department of some big firm in the city." Nick shrugged as Ruth smiled slightly. "Exept the firm is MI5. Is Harry like James Bond? Some superspy?"

"No." Ruth smiled as Nick's eyes widened. "James Bond was MI6. We're not quite so flashy. But it does mean we have made some enemies. That may be why Gray and Terri are in trouble. But we will find them and they will be ok."

"How do you know?"

"Because Graham Pearce is Harry's son." Ruth stated calmly.

"That's true." Nick smiled as Ruth hugged him.

###################

Harry replaced the phone on his desk as he watched Catherine slump on the old battered sofa in the corner of his office. He was glad the blinds had been drawn before he got there. He didn't want the rest of the team to see how worried he really was. Catherine buried her head in her hands as Harry felt his heart break a little more.

"He did visit Jane earlier." Harry sat next to her. "I had Malcolm request the prison send us the CCTV footage from outside the prison."

"Dad."

"Catherine, we will find him and he will be ok. So will Teresa."

"I know." He took her hand as she blinked back tears. "Dad."

"I know you are worried but."

"Dad."

"Sorry." He paused. "What is it?"

"What if all this sends him back to the drink? When he comes home?" She met his gaze as he listened.

"He wont."

"But."

"He wont. I know that boy. He loves Teresa. He wont go back to drink. He wont. He's never going to risk loosing Teresa." He squeezed her hand as he looked away. "Nothing is going to happen to either of them."

"What if it isn't your guys? What if her father has something to do with this? You know what Terri said about him."

"I do." Harry nodded, remembering the time he had gone to Cyprus to collect a badly beaten Graham and terrified young woman. "I promised her nothing would happen to her and I intend to keep that promise." He turned his head to confront whoever it was who was knocking the door.

"YES!"

"Harry." Zaf started.

"This better be good."

"Border control are looking for anyone coming in and out of the country fitting the description Beth sent them. Only thing is they wont send any information via email. Something about online security."

"Right."

"So Beth and I are heading down there."

"I told you I wanted everyone back on the Grid."

"There is nothing more we can do here. Ros and Lucas are on the way back, should be here any second now but if we are going to catch these idiots and find Graham one of us needs to be out there." He held Harry's gaze as he spoke. He knew his boss was on the verge of exploding. Something in him told him it had to be said anyway. Harry remained silent for a moment.

"Catherine? Can you keep Nick and Charlie in here for a while? Just do not under any circumstances answer the phone."

"Ok Dad." Catherine sighed heavily. She was beginning to get angry with herself and the entire situation. She had been a documentary maker in some of the world's worst Hellholes and here she was being a glorified babysitter. If her dad had known half the things she had seen and escaped from in her career he would never want her to leave the house again. She nodded mutely, deciding it was not the time to get into an argument about her capability. Finding her brother and his fiance was more important.

"Zaf. Briefing room first. I understand the need to get that intel but I want a full briefing with the team."

"Yes Harry."

Zaf left the room as Harry got to his feet. He knew Ruth was going to hate him for what he was about to do but there was no way he could let the others get into any more danger. Graham was his son. His responsibility. It didn't matter who was behind his disappearace, Costas or Silvitir, he was going to find his son and his fiance and bring them home.

######################

A/N More soon. Please review.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Perfect Timing?**

Harry stared at the wooden table top as the rest of his team began to settle down. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. He glanced up once he realised Ruth was watching him. Her eyes said so much more than he knew words ever could. It was obvious everyone was on edge. Erin grabbed Calum's hand as he tapped the pen on the table. The glare Adam sent him reinforced Erin's unspoken command to put the pen down.

"Nice of you to join us." Harry snapped as Ros and Lucas walked in.

"Nothing on the tellie." Ros deadpanned as she folded her arms. "Helen Jarvis is using another name."

"Yeah, Porter is definately her." Lucas joined in as he took his seat next to Beth. The younger woman sighed heavily as she waited for the meeting to start. Harry smiled slightly, remembering how impatient he was when he had been in her shoes.

"Right." Harry started as Ruth gripped the edge of her notepad.

"What did we miss?" Lucas asked as Dimitri shrugged. Zaf glanced at Ruth, for once unable to read her expresssion.

"As you know." Harry started. "As you know, Graham and Teresa are currently unaccounted for. The priority has to be the operation. Jools Silvitir and the Morganston brothers are still the priority. Nightingale is still a credible threat in Europe, the Middle East and America. We have pushed them back more than once." He met Ros' eye as she subconsciously covered her scared hands. She steadfastedly held his gaze as she almost dared him to mention the hotel explosion that had burnt her so badly.

"Harry." Adam started.

"Adam stopping Nightingale is the priority. Have you checked your job description lately?"

"They could be using Graham to blackmail you." Zoe stated.

"That possibility has crossed my mind. I can't have this team unfocused or compromised in any way. Carry on as we are." He avoided Ruth's gaze as the rest of the team filled them in on what little intel they had on the case. Ruth couldn't help but tink about her step son and his fiance. She knew Graham well enough to know he would be protecting Terri but she also had a very strange feeling whoever had taken him was relying on the fact the boy was stilla junkie with an alcohol problem. The meeting came to a close as Ros began giving out various tasks, the team slowly disappearing from the room as she did.

"Zafar." Harry stopped the younger man as he reached the doorhandle.

"Yeah?"

"When you get to Border Control ask for Chris Garfield."

"An old contact?"

"You could say that. Ask him for any intel on this man." He handed Zaf an A4 photograph of Terri's father. "No specifics."

"Is this guy something to do with Nightingale? Something to do with Jools?" Beth looked over Zaf's shoulder as she asked.

"That is still to be ascertained." Harry answered as Ruth closed her eyes. "Just see if he entered the UK recently. If he has I need to know."

"Yes Harry." Zaf nodded as he glanced towards his friend. "Right, Beth come on." He ushered the young blonde out of the room towards the main Grid as Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. Once the door was firmly closed Harry walked towards Ruth who had remained almost silent through the entire meeting.

"Harry."

"Ruth."

"You are not leaving those two out to dry. I know you, Harry." Ruth sounded almost resigned to the fact Harry was about to do something reckless.

"He's my son."

"I know." She smiled slightly. "Not mine, which is why I can never understand? That's right isn't it?" She met his gaze, her eyes flashing in anger.

"I never said that. You know I never even thought that."

"It's true." Ruth nodded as he stood a haresbreath in front of her. "Graham is stronger than you give him credit for. He needs your help but don't you dare." She closed her eyes as the tears began to threaten to fall.

"Ruth." Harry brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. "I am coming back."

"You better."

"I am coming back." His other hand brushed against her abdomen. "I just have to fetch her big brother home first." He kissed Ruth's cheek as her eyes fluttered closed.

"She needs you." Ruth almost whispered. "I need you."

"I know." He pulled her to him as she wrapped her arms around him. "I have to do this. You know I can't risk any of those getting into any danger because of me. Because of this."

"Like when Blake tried to kill everyone and you took the bullet?" Ruth pulled back slightly. "Just promise you wont get shot. Bring Graham and Teresa home without you getting shot."

"I promise." Harry smiled slightly as Ruth rested her hand against his cheek. He kissed her hand one last time before walking out of the Briefing Room, leaving Ruth more alone than she had felt in years.

#################

"Zaf? This bloke."

"What about him?"

"Who is he?" Beth pushed her foot to the accelerator as Zaf watched the London skyline pass by.

"No idea. Harry seemed to think he was important. You know him, he's been doing this for a lot longer than we have. He must think it's significant if he wants us to find out if he's in the UK." Beth raised an eyebrow as they approached the offices of Border Control. Dealing with Customs was the last thing she wanted to do but Ros has left no room for argument. Not for the first time she wondered why she was being paired with Zaf rather than Dimitri. Zaf unclipped his seatbelt as he made a mental note not to let Beth drive back to Thames House.

################

Harry pulled on his black leather gloves as he headed towards the black 4x4 in the corner of the car park. His heart rate was danngerously high as he remembered the phone call in the office a few minutes before he had spoken with Catherine. His daughter was as defiant as ever, the younger woman was too much like him for her own good. He paused as he rested his hand on the doorhandle.

"Harry."

"Ros, I gave you your orders."

"And since when did I listen?" She smiled slightly. "Come on Harry, it's Christmas."

"Ros, go back inside. Find Jools Silvitir."

"Adam can run the Grid. He did it before me and when I was having the kids. Listen to me. You cannot go after Graham on your own. You know that."

"He's my son."

"Yeah." Ros smiled slightly as he met her gaze. "And you stood by me when no one else would. Time I returned the favour."

"I thought you did that with the whole Harry is a traitor crap when Sugarhorse imploded." He opened the driver's door at the same time Ros sat in the passenger seat.

"Didn't think you were keeping score."

"I wasn't. I thought you were." Harry smirked slightly. "Ros, you don't have to do this."

"Shut up and drive." Ros smirked as she pulled her seat belt around her. "Like Ruth would ever forgive me, or herself if that baby grows up without it's dad. Besides Amy and James need their godfather."

"She." Harry started the ignition. "Not it, she."

"Must be nice, always being right." Ros rolled her eyes.

"It has its moments." Harry pulled the car out into the hectic Christmas Eve traffic as Ros glared out of the windscreen. It was going to be a long night.

######################

"Mum." Nick approached Ruth's desk as she clicked a button to send it back to being a screensaver. "Catherine says we have to wait here until all this bull is over with."

"Language."

"I haven't said anything. But is she right?"

"Nick." Ruth turned to face him as she saw Zoe wince out of the corner of her eye. "We're in the middle of a major alert. We will find Graham. Once we have we'll go home."

"Ok." Nick ran a hand over his face. For a second Ruth couldn't help but see George in the boy in front of her. She tilted her head and watched him. He had only been with them a few months but already so much had happened.

"You have been spending too much time with Harry." She smiled. "You've picked up his mannerisms." Nick rolled his eyes as he pushed himself away from the desk.

"Calum said he's lend me his DS for a while. Got that new game I was telling Harry about at breakfast, the one Wes wants for Christmas."

"Ok." Ruth bit her lip as the teenager made his way over to Calum's desk. She couldn't help but realise it was only her, Zoe, Malcolm and Calum left on the Grid. She sent up a silent prayer that they'd all be home with their families by the time Christmas Day arrived. She had a feeling her prayers were not going to be answered.

#########################

"Teresa's father is who?" Ros ' head almost snapped off as she turned towards Harry.

"My son seems to have fallen for the daughter of a Cypriot gang leader." Harry stated plainly. "Ros you can still back out. No hard feelings."

"Like Hell." Ros smiled. "Interpol and 6 have been after him for years. Paulo Costas is scum. If he is involved I'd love to be there when he's taken down."

"Ros." Harry warned as he parked the car on the deserted docks. The biting wind hit his face as he realised Ros probably knew more about Costas than he did.

"When I was in 6, we went after him." Ros explained. "Never caught the slimey bastard. It was the last case I worked with Zaf before Adam dragged him over to 5."

"I'm just here for my son." Harry pulled his gloves tighter as she zipped up her leather jacket. Ros nodded as they walked towards the unassuming building in front of the water.

########################

"What is it with Section D and Jools Silvitir?" Erin asked as she followed Adam towards the main entrance of the Foreign Office. Adam shrugged as he smiled at the pretty blonde on the desk.

"Merry Christmas." She smiled as Adam beamed.

"Adam"

"He's a thorn in our side. Always has been. Oliver Mace makes him seem an amatuer but he's ruthless, cruel, ambitious and hates us. And he has some fingers in some very rotten pies."

"And Tessa?"

"You have heard of Tessa Philips? You do know what she is capable of?"

"She set up Yasmin Thomas and Sarah Wynn-Jones. There were always rumours. Had no idea they were true."

"Yeah, well I was in 6 at the time but they were true. Sarah went to prison and Yas ended up in Syria for almost ten years. She had to have had help. The rumour was Jools and Mace helped." Adam explained as they headed for an oak door at the end of the corridor. "Do me a favour?"

"What?"

"When we are in there, keep the perv behind the desk talking."

"The perv being the Head of Homeland Security? Thanks."

"You're welcome." Adam smirked as Erin shot him a death glare. His hand rested on the doorhandle as the mobile phone in his pocket began to vibrate. Cursing quietly he shook his head slightly as Erin narrowed her eyes. She turned just in time to see the CIA UK liasion officer walk towards them.

"Sandford." Erin smiled coyly as Adam pulled out the phone and cursed.

######################################

"Zoe?" Malcolm looked up to see the younger woman resting one hand on her abdomen, beads of sweat breaking out on her forehead.

"I'm fine. That intel from the US embassy is here."

"And useless." Ruth answered as she looked up to see what had Malcolm so startled.

"You ok luv?" Calum asked as he handed Nick a can of pop much to Ruth's dismay. "Lucas and Alec just called in. Oh and Dimitri just had the all clear. He's ok."

"Yeah." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as Catherine stood in the doorway of Harry's office.

"Zoe, you are not ok."

"Yes I am." Zoe snapped before meeting Ruth's gaze. "Aren't I?"

"I think we better ask Mike to have a look at you." Ruth answered kindly. Malcolm paled as he realised what was going on.

"When is the baby due?" Catherine asked.

"Not until January." Zoe bit her bottom lip as Catherine raised an eyebrow.

"Malcolm, get hold of Zaf. Get him back here. I don't care if you have to get Alec over there to drive him back here. Just get him." Ruth rested a hand on Zoe's back. "Dates can be wrong. Apparently I'm 7 months, but my dates put me at 6 so could that have happened with you?"

"Yeah." Zoe sighed. "My dates, what I worked out was the baby isn't due until January."

"And you were always so good at maths. Come on." Ruth guided the woman towards the pods with difficulty as Malcolm picked up the phone. Calum tutted loudly as he ran to her other side, half carrying Zoe out of the pods. Ruth couldn't help but wonder if Harry would be there when her baby arrived.

#########################

A/N Please review. More soon.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer see previously**

**A Cold and frosty morning.**

Ros stared up at the delapidated warehouse wondering why kidnappers and terrorists seemed to have the monopoly on acquiring buildings that were death traps. She glanced at Harry as they walked around the building. She shoved her hands in her pockets as Harry narrowed his eyes.

"Ros."

"Yeah?"

"Go."

"We've had this conversation, Harry." She held her ground as Harry nodded once. His eyes never left the small dirty window in front of him. Mutely Ros followed his gaze as the biting wind blew her hair in her face.

"Shit."

Harry nodded again before stepping back and dragging Ros with him. The force of the explosion carried them forward as Harry tried to cover his head and Ros' as she landed on the gravel and skidded across towards the car. Glass shattered around them as Ros hit her head on the ground.

"Ros?" Harry coughed as he rolled gingerly onto his side. "Ros?"

"Shit, Harry." She coughed as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her back screamed in protest as blood oozed from below her hairline. "You ok?"

"Apart from just being blown up, couldn't be better."

"You get killed and Ruth is going to kill me."

"I don't think Lucas will be too pleased if I took you home in a hearse."

"So what now?" She coughed slightly as Harry dabbed his bleeding lip.

"You go back to Thames House. I'll see why they were trying to kill us. I still think Graham is in there." Harry stood gingerly as he realised the screaching wasn't his ears but the car alarms in the area sounding their protest at the explosion that had rocked the area minutes earlier.

"Like Hell." Ros stared up at the building. "Not until I find out who the Hell just tried to kill me."

############

"When did you say you were due?" Mike asked as he helped Zoe towards the bed in the corner of the med bay.

"January."

"She hasn't been herself all day." Ruth stated as Mike nodded once.

"Zoe, I need to examine you."

"No chance." Zoe sighed. "I am not in labour."

"Really?" Mike shook his head. "Because you are doing a damn good impression of it. Fine, I'll have an ambulance get you to St Mary's. How far apart are the contractions?" Mike picked up the phone.

"Oh bloody Hell!" Ruth gasped as Mike spun around.

"Oh I think that baby isn't going to wait for the paramedics." Mike stated calmly. "Ruth, you're staying here."

"But."

"Ruth. Please." Zoe gripped her hand as Ruth nodded.

"Ok, ok just until Zaf gets here." She smiled slightly as Zoe nodded.

##########################

"Hi." Beth walked towards the tall heavy set man in uniform as he nodded.

"Elizabeth Bailey?"

"Beth." She corrected as she held out a hand. "Zaf Younis."

"Ah, Harry called." He shook Zaf's hand warmly as he spoke. "Chris."

"You have some information for us?" Beth smiled sweetly as Zaf's mobile sprang into life. He rolled his eyes as he pulled the phone from his pocket. Beth handed Chris the photograph Harry had given them as the bald man pulled a face.

"Paulo Costas." He shook his head. "That slimey little."

"Is he in the UK?"

"Not via any ports I know of. Neither him nor anyone using that name has tried to enter passport control. But there is the Russian you were interested in."

"Ilya Gavrik." Beth stated.

"Nah, his boy. Sasha. Why would a dead man be trying to enter the UK? Or rather why would someone use his name when everyone knows he's supposed to be dead?"

"Good question." Beth sighed heavily, wondering what Harry and Ros would have to say. Glancing at Zaf she shook her head and returned to the file Chris was showing her. "Exactly how did you meet Harry?"

"Ah, now that is a very long story. Mostly of a misspent youth and I doubt you have the time." He laughed slightly. "Come on, I have all the information you need in the back. Is your friend joining us?"

"Zaf?"

"I have to go. Alec is on his way here to pick you up." He spoke quickly as he began walking away.

"What? Why?"

"Baby on the way." He began almost running backwards as Beth smiled.

"Another very long story." Beth smiled.

####################

Dimitri ached in places he never knew he had. His back ached and protested every time he moved but there was no way he was going to stay in hospital any longer than he had to. Throwing his bag over his shoulder he walked past Stan as the security guard looked up and smiled.

"Miss anything?"

"Oh man. I dunno where to start with you people." Stan laughed. "Easier to ask me what you didn't miss!"

"Why is there an ambulance outside?" Dimitri began panicking as a million theories ran through his mind.

"Baby number one putting in an appearance." Stan laughed. "Never a quiet moment for Section D. I remember when female officers vanished from the service once a baby was on the way."

"It's the 21st Century not the 1800s." Dimitri laughed as he headed towards the lift. It was going to be good to be back amongst the chaos. He had to admit he missed it.

##############

"Calum?" Erin walked along Oxford Street as she tried to dodge the Christmas shoppers taking advantage of the last few hours of shopping available to them before Christmas Day. She tried to put all thoughts of Rosie and her mum to the back of her mind as she spoke on the phone.

"Zoe's in labour." Calum stated calmly.

"Shit."

"Someone tried to kill Harry and Ros."

"Shit."

"Yeah, that's pretty much what I said."

"My asset never showed up." She paused as she tried to find somewhere to cross the road. "I'm on my way in."

"No." Calum stated. "Meet Lucas at the bandstand in ten minutes. He just called, says he had a contact but might need back up. I had to divert Alec to pick up Beth. Adam is on his way to him as I speak but you are the nearest. I think it's something to do with Jools Silvitir."

"Calum are you running the Grid?" She couldn't help the sly smile that crept across her face.

"Well, Zoe is currently trying not to push. Ruth is with her. Catherine isn't a spook, Tariq is heading off to test some gadget, Malcolm is trying to hack into some Russian database so yeah it's me. Unless Dimitri wants to get off his sick bed and try you are stuck with me." Calum tried not to sound offended.

"Ah, can't Charlie do it?"

"Erin remind me. Why are we still friends?"

"Because you are Rosie's uncle and she loves you." Erin smiled as she thought of her daughter.

"I am such a pushover."

"Yeah, now what's the story with Lucas?"

"Hyde Park, the bandstand." Calum stated. "Something to so with Silvitir."

"Any sign of the brother's Grim?"

"No." Calum stated as the Pod doors whoosed open. "Dimitri?"

"What?" Erin frowned as she headed for her car. "Cal?"

"I'm back." Dimitri smiled as he took his usual seat. "Right, what's going on?"

"Fill him in." Erin stated. "Actually you can fill me in at the same time. I can't help feeling somehow I'm missing something. And get Tariq to meet me at the park, I think we need a techi there if all this is going to kick off."

"Tariq?"

"Yeah." Erin smiled as she got into the car.

#####################

Lucas stared out across the frozen park as Adam and Erin sat in the car a few feet away. He couldn't help but think having half the Grid watching his back was overkill. Shaking his head he tried not to think about what had happened to him and Ros at the warehouse a few days earlier. He knew he still hadn't had the full story from Ros about what had happened when she was taken from him at the cafe but he knew Silvitir's reputation for paying thugs to do his dirty work and he couldn't help but think that Tessa Philips was somewhere in the background.

"Ah, merry Christmas." The thin man walked towards him as Lucas remained deadpan.

"Is it?"

"Well, for some."

"Where are Tim and David Morganston? Julian Silvitir?"

"How should I know?" Lucas narrowed his eyes as he heard Tariq talking in his ear piece. He knew he had to keep the former FSB man talking.

"Come on." Lucas held his gaze. "We know you're up to your neck in this. And we know your father isn't dead."

"On the contrary." Sasha narrowed his eyes. "James Coaver was fished out of the Thames."

"Ilya Gavrik is alive."

"Ah yes the man my mother told me was your father."

"Sasha. I need the location of those men. Lives depend on it." Lucas stepped forward and glared at Sasha.

"Why should I care? Gavrik lied to me. What's to say you didn't lie to me too?"

"Because a young woman is missing. Her fiance is missing, believed dead. We have to find them and we have to stop Nightingale before it rips apart this country. You think that Nightingale are going to just let things stay as they are? Let London carry on as it does with people from all over the world living here? Nightingale get their way they'll destroy the city we are in now."

"The bird has flown."

"What does that mean?" Lucas resisted the urge to throttle the younger man.

"That is all Gavrik has told me. Tell Harry Pearce the bird has flown." Lucas glared at him before Adam spoke in his ear piece. Sasha had company. It was time to go. Lucas nodded as he listened to Sasha before turning on his heel and walking across the frigid grass to the car park.

##########################

"Harry." Ros forced the door open as he walked towards her. She didn't like the way he was leaning heavily on one side. He nodded as he stepped after her towards the dark corridor silently praying he would find his oldest son somewhere inside.

##########################

"Zaf." Mike stopped the younger man as he barrelled along the corridor towards Med Bay. "Zaf!"

"Malcolm called me."

"She's fine." He held him by his shoulders. "The paramedics just checked her out. Her and the baby are fine."

"Baby?"

"A boy. Two minutes ago."

"Boy."

"Yeah." Mike smiled. "Ruth was with her. We couldn't really wait for the paramedics. Seems your son was a little too impatient. He's fine. A bit small but fine. 4lb 7 oz." He ushered Zaf into the med bay as Zoe looked up.

"Hi."

"Hi." Zaf smiled as he saw her holding the baby in her arms. The female paramedic glanced at Zaf.

"Dad I take it?"

"Er, yeah." Zaf nodded as Ruth slipped quietly out of the room with the paramedics in tow.

"Oh Ruth." Zoe called. "Thanks. For staying."

"You're welcome. Oh and I love the name." Ruth glanced at Zaf before leaving the room.

"You told her the name?" Zaf sat next to her peering at their son. "Oh God, Emma is going to love having a baby brother. Hello Danniel Joseph Younis." He touched the baby's hair as Zoe yawned. Ruth shook her head and smiled as she headed down towards the Grid.

##########################

Malcolm called Ruth across to his desk the moment she appeared on the Grid.

"Any news?"

"Could ask you the same thing."

"Dimitri!" She hugged the younger man as he winced. "A boy, Daniel Joseph." She watched as Malcolm smiled slightly. It seemed Danny and Jo were always going to be remembered.

"Harry?"

"No news." Malcolm sighed.

"Apart from the explosion." Calum stated calmly without looking up. Ruth closed her eyes, convinced her hear was about to stop in her chest.

"He called us afterwards. They are fine." Malcolm spoke calmly as she sat down. "No news on Graham and Teresa."

########################

Ros stared down the delapidated corridor in front of her. The bomb damaged building was bringing back memories of her time trapped under the masonary with Andrew Lawrence. Glaring straight ahead she pulled her gun as Harry nodded.

"Ros."

"Time your son was getting home." Ros smiled slightly as she walked down the corridor. Harry tugged his black jacket closer before following her along the corridor not knowing what he would find behind the door in front of him.

##########################

A/N More soon. Please review.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Alone**

Lucas stared out over the city as he tried not to cry. He had known this would happen sooner or later. He had just prayed it would be later. Amy and James needed their mum. He needed Ros. Shaking his head he sniffed loudly knowing that somehow he would have to tell his children that Mum wasn't coming home. Ever again. He closed his eyes and fought the urge to let himself fall from the building. It wasn't until he felt a warm hand on his back that he remembered he wasn't the only one suffering.

"Ruth."

#####################

Harry glanced at Ros as he rested his hand on the door handle. Both knew the Morganston brothers had a history of booby trapping their victims. It seemed unlikely they would change their MO now.

"Harry." Ros held his gaze as she clicked the safety catch off her gun.

He nodded as she held the weapon in front of her. Gingerly he pushed the door open as the smell of smoke began to fill the air. The heat that hit them knocked them both back as Ros coughed and spluttered. Harry knocked her to the floor for the second time that hour as the smoke filled the air.

"Dad?" Harry stopped as he heard Graham weakly call his name. Closing his eyes he fought his way back through the smoke as Ros fought the nausea and breathlessness that was beginning to overwhelm her. Following Harry back into the burning room she found Teresa laying unconscious a few feet away.

"Get her out of here." Harry ordered as Ros pulled the smaller woman in to her arms. Sighing heavily she prayed history wasn't about to repeat itself. Harry grabbed Graham by the arm and half dragged the younger man away from the burning building.

"Dad."

"Graham, help me out here." Harry coughed as Graham realised just how injured his father was. Carefully both men staggered after Ros and Teresa as Graham tried not to lean to heavily on his father.

"I'm." He paused to cough as the heat began to intensify. "I'm sorry."

"Come on." Harry chocked out the words as he tried to remember which way he had come.

####################

Adam closed his eyes as he listened to the Chief Fire Officer explain what had happened. His blood ran cold as the words seemed to sink in. In Ros' abscence he was in charge and right then he hated it.

"Beth?" He turned to the younger woman. "I know Zaf and Zoe have more to think about than what's going on here but can you ask them to come to the Grid before they take Danny home?" He watched as Beth nodded. She had no idea what had been said but she knew it was serious.

"Adam."

"Please Beth. Now."

Beth nodded before turning on her heel and walking out towards Med bay. Adam leant against his desk as he glanced towards Harry's office knowing his son's best friend was asleep on the sofa while Charlie and Catherine were curled up on a camp bed Calum had set up for them. Another glance at the clock told him he was about to break the hearts of more than one person.

"Ruth? I need a word." Ruth looked up from the facial recognition programme she was running. The colour drained from her face the moment she looked at him.

"No." She shook her head as Adam approached her. "No, Adam please."

"I'm sorry." He pulled her into his arms as she shook visibly. Neither had noticed Lucas appear in the doorway of the kitchenette. He closed his eyes, Ros had been with Harry. If he was dead then she would be too. He knew it. Ros would never leave her post, never leave her friend.

"Graham? Teresa? Ros! Oh God." Ruth wiped at her eyes as she looked away. Lucas met her gaze for a minute before walking towards the Pods. She could do nothing but sob in Adam's arms.

"Ruth." Malcolm approached them quietly. "We can't know. Not for certain."

"The fire officer was pretty adamant that the fire was too much. That no one would survive if they were inside."

"He promised." Ruth wiped angrily at her tears. "What do I tell Catherine and the boys?"

"I am so sorry." Dimitri almost whispered as Ruth nodded.

"Just promise me. We get the bastards that did this." Ruth held Adam's gaze as he nodded.

"You know we will."

Ruth nodded once before following Lucas. She couldn't bring herself the wake the children. Catherine had already seen too much in her 25 years, far more than many young women her age. Nick was already too used to grief for someone so young. She knew he adored Harry and just couldn't find the words to say what was so unthinkable.

##########################

"I don't believe this." Tariq looked towards Alec who was plainly still furious. Beth sniffed as she felt Dimitri drape an arm over her shoulder. Malcolm wiped away a tear as memories of Colin's death came to the forefront of his mind. Calum shook his head as Erin blinked back tears.

"Why did this happen?" She kept her eyes on the floor as Alec punched the wall.

"Bad people want to kill us." Calum answered as Catherine appeared in the doorway.

"What the Hell happened? Any news on my dad?" Malcolm sighed heavily as he crossed the room towards her.

"Yes, Catherine." He turned her by her shoulders and ushered her into Harry's office as the remaining members of the Grid fell silent. Zoe stared at her son as Zaf hugged her. He had no idea what had happened but the world just didn't seem right anymore.

####################

"I could kill him." Ruth spoke quietly as she looked out over London. The winter air blowing her curls in her face.

"Ruth." Lucas started again.

"We had just ." She closed her eyes. "We have just picked a name for the baby. And he promised me. That bastard promised me." She hung her head as the tears began to fall.

"He would have tried to get Ros away." Lucas rested his arms on the barrier as he spoke. "You know what she's like." He paused. "Was like."

"Ros." Ruth frowned. "She used to hate me."

"She was jealous. She told me all about that time. You, Cotterdam. Seems a bit like me and Albany."

"A bit. We were both set up. Only I took the fall for Harry. I knew Ros would inform on me. She hadn't been here long enough." Ruth wiped at her eyes. "What the Hell was she thinking?"

Lucas swallowed hard. He was determined not to cry. Big Ben could be heard chiming in Christmas Day as He hung his head, his determination to keep his emotions in check all but lost. Ruth rested a hand on his arm. The tears ran freely down her face as she turned to him.

"She loved you so much."

"I." He paused.

"She did."

"She does." Ruth stopped as she heard a voice she knew she couldn't be hearing. She held Lucas' gaze as his eyes widened. He had heard it too. "Lucas."

"Harry?" He turned as Ruth turned her back to them and stared out over the city. She was going mad, she knew she was. Harry was dead. Ros was dead. Graham and Teresa had been kidnapped and murdered. She rested a hand on her baby bump as she tried to concentrate on her breathing. It was just too much.

"It would seem reports of our deaths have been grately exagerated. Lucas, Ros is in Med Bay. The Grid know we are back."

"Ros." Lucas seemed to be reduced to one syllable words. Harry nodded.

"Graham and Terry are in A&E. Catherine and Malcolm are on the way to meet them. The fire officer was a plant." Lucas glanced towards Ruth as Harry stepped nearer. "Lucas, I think your wife needs you. I'll deal with mine." Lucas smiled slightly before almost running towards the door.

######################

Calum stared at the computer screen, the first of the team to recover himself after the shock of the near loss of Ros and Harry. He was more determined than ever to put Silvitir and the Morganston brothers behind bars. He swore as he tried to work out what Sasha's message may mean.

"Don't overthink it." Alec advised as Calum rolled his eyes and ignored him.

"They made it very personal." Calum barked. "And I don't do personal."

"Neither do I." Erin snapped as she wiped her eyes. "Alec, a trip to the Home Office?"

"Don't mind if I do." He smiled before following her out the Pods.

###############

"You bastard." Ruth refused to turn from the skyline. She was shivering badly as Harry rested his hands on her arms. "You promised."

"I promised I wouldn't get shot."

"Pedant."

"Classicist."

"Impossible man." Ruth smiled slightly, despite her tears.

"Mule."

"Harry." She sobbed his name out as he finally forced her to turn. The cold biting into both of them as Harry tilted her chin to force her to look at him.

"I didn't get killed. Neither did anyone else. Tim Morganston impersonated the fire officer." He brushed her hair gently out of her eyes as the wind threatened to blow her off the roof. She stared at him in disbelief, half certain a ghost was holding her.

"Not dead."

"No." Harry smiled. "Not dead." Ruth closed her eyes as he pulled her into his arms. Shivering slightly he wrapped his coat around them both.

"Harry?"

"Um." He kissed her hair.

"Don't ever, ever scare me like that again."

"I'm sorry." He held her tighter as she nodded against his chest.

"It's ok just don't do it again." He chuckled slightly as he kissed her gently.

#########################

"The fire officer was not the fire officer." Tariq explained as Dimitri swore. He was beginnign to regret coming back to work. Beth nodded as Tariq continued to explain. Neither spotted Lucas slip through the Grid towards the Pods.

##################

"Hi." Ros sat on the bed in the med bay as Mike handed her some painkillers. Lucas met her eye as Mike shook his head.

"I am off duty." He announced. "Merry Christmas." He smiled slightly as Lucas nodded. It was obvious the dark haired spook had no idea what Mike had just said. Ros smiled slightly as Lucas stepped towards her.

"We were told you were dead."

"Don't believe everything you hear about me." She smiled wryly.

"Ros." His voice chocked with emotion as she pushed herself away from the bed.

"Hey." She took his hand. "Cuts and bruises, smoke inhalation. I'm ok." She shook slightly as she spoke. Lucas closed his eyes. "It was a bit close."

"Ros." He tugged her hand so she was forced to step nearer to him. "I thought. I thought we'd lost you. That Amy had lost her mum the same age I did."

"No."

"Shit Ros." He cupped her face. "I don't work without you. You have to know that." Ros held his gaze for a moment as his eyes bore into hers. She nodded slightly before his lips came crashing onto hers. For a moment nothing else mattered. She was alive and would fight another day. So far Jools Silvitir and his croanies weren't winning. She intended to make sure it stayed that way.

##############################

A/N More soon. Please review. Oh and please don't hate me too much.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Christmas Miracles?**

Ruth pulled back from Harry as a gust of wind nearly blew them both off the roof. Harry held on to her arms as she frowned slightly. Ruth couldn't help the fear that began to twist in the pit of her stomach as she stared up at her husband.

"Harry?"

"I." He paused as Ruth raised an eyebrow.

"If you end that sentance with 'fine' I will divorce you." Ruth watched as he fell silent.

"I think we better go indoors." He closed his eyes as Ruth sighed. The bruising around his eyes and cheek now more apparent in the moonlight. "Ros was worse than me."

"Mm." Ruth slipped her hand into his as they turned towards the door. "Adam told me the building collapsed. That there was no way anyone could get out alive."

"I know." Harry fought to keep his balance as the pain ripped through the side. "We weren't inside when the place went up." He held his breath as the pain gripped him. Ruth blinked back tears as she watched him, knowing he would have insisted the others were taken to hospital. She could almost picture the argument between Ros and Harry over who went to the hospital. She knew Ros would have insisted that she was fine.

"Ros was seen in the Med Bay." Ruth raised an eyebrow.

"Compromise. Only one ambulance. Graham and Terri went in it."

"Why haven't you seen a doctor?" Ruth blinked back tears as she watched him try not to lean on her. She pulled the door to the roof open as Harry closed his eyes.

"Harry?" Ruth couldn't keep the panic out of her voice as he swallowed hard. "Why the Hell are you not in A&E?" She let him lean on her as he tried to negotiate the narrow staircase back to the Grid.

"Graham and the others more important." He sighed heavily. "More important things to do."

"Like the Grid." Ruth snapped angrily as he leant against the wall. The blue lighting giving him an unhealthy glow as she ran a hand through her windswept hair.

"No." Harry held her gaze as she paused to stare at him. "You. Had to see you." Ruth bit back the tears as he spoke.

"Well, now you have to go to Med Bay. Please Harry."

"Good idea." Harry smiled slightly as Ruth took his hand once more.

######################

Erin hated politicians at the best of times. She especially hated waiting for them. She glared at the wall in front of them as Alec shoved his hands in his pockets and smirked.

"Shut up White."

He raised an eyebrow as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Have I said anything?"

"You don't need to." Erin smirked as he laughed. Before he could answer a young woman appeared in the doorway.

"Hi."

"Hi Jamie." Erin took a step towards the young blonde as Alec stayed where he was.

"Sorry to keep you. I couldn't get away."

"Jools Silvitir and Ilya Gavrik." Erin stated.

"Oh shit, do not tell me they are involved in something together." Jamie bit her bottom lip. "I'm guessing you both know about Oliver Mace and Tessa Phillips."

"What about them?" Alec asked innocently.

"Mace is dead." Jamie stared at her. "But Tessa is wanted by half the security services in the Western world. I know I'm only the Foreign Secretary's PA but give me some credit."

"Ignore him." Erin smiled slightly. "I do."Alec rolled his eyes as he listened to them. For a moment she could see what Juliet saw in him. But as she smiled slightly just for a moment.

"Towers met my boss just before I called you." Jamie spoke to Erin as Alec watched. "I don't really know why he was here but I did hear the names Gavrik and Silvitir mentioned."

"Anything else?"

"Just that somehow you all knew he was alive and here in the UK." Jamie glanced at her feet. "Look, I like my job."

"It's ok." Alec smiled reassuringly. "You wont get in any trouble."

"If you say so." Jamie sighed as she stepped back into the corridor and out of sight.

#################

Beth stared at the wall as she tried to force her thoughts away from the case. She was exhausted and knew sleep would be difficult to come by. Smiling slightly she felt a warm hand on her hip.

"Dim."

"You ok?"

"I am beginning to think Calum has a point." She sighed heavily as Dimitri fell silent. "Bad people want to kill us."

"Harry and Ros?"

"I think Graham was bait." Beth turned so she was facing him. "Morganston had no idea that Ros would be there. Harry had specifically told us all to concentrate on the case. That he would go after Graham."

"You think someone wanted to murder Harry?" Dimitri asked as Beth moved closer to him.

"Yes, I do. I think Ros was caught in the crossfire." He ran a hand along her arm as she tried not to let him distract her. She closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead.

"They're fine. From what I was told they are fine. You saw Harry when he got back to the Grid. He seemed a bit battered but he's fine."

"Yeah." Beth almost whispered. "But it's not him I worry about."

"I know." Dimitri sighed. "Go to sleep."

"Yeah." She yawned as he wrapped an arm around her chest. "Merry Christmas."

############################

The waiting room was full as Ruth tried to ignore the Christmas party revellers. Instead she focused on the door to the treatment area and tried not to imagine what was happening to Harry behind the doors. A drunk sat next to her as a baby began crying in triage as the nurse tried her best to conjole him into stopping crying. She shook her head, suddenly understanding what the baby felt like. She closed her eyes as the drunk got the message and left her alone.

"Ruth." Malcolm sat next to her. "I came as soon as I heard. Sarah is parking the car."

"Thanks." Ruth opened her eyes at the sound of his voice.

"Sarah is parking the car."

"Right." Ruth rested a hand on her abdomen as the baby kicked. "Thanks for this."

"Nonsense." Malcolm turned to face her. "What happened?"

"He was talking and just collapsed against me." Ruth swallowed hard as she tried to stop the tears from falling. "I was telling him he should have seen a doctor, that he was more injured than he had told anyone." Malcolm squeezed her hand as he waited for her to continue. "He was so pale."

"Harry is as tough as old boots." Sarah stated as she took a seat opposite. "How many times has he been in this place?"

"I know." Ruth stared at her hand, playing with her wedding ring. The tears swam in her eyes as Malcolm patted her hand.

"FAMILY OF HARRY PEARCE!" Ruth almost jumped out of her skin as a young nurse called from the treatment room door. Malcolm waited a moment before glancing at his wife.

"Ruth." Sarah leant forward in her seat. "I think they are looking for you."

"I can't do this."

"You can." Sarah smiled as Malcolm glanced at her. "Catherine and the boys need you to do this."

Ruth nodded as she got to her feet with one last glance at Malcolm she was through the doors as Sarah shook her head sadly. The noise of the waiting room seemed to melt away as Malcolm pulled her into his arms as they waited to hear what had happened to their friend.

########################

"Bloody Hell." Zaf shook his head as he put the mobile phone back in his pocket. Zoe looked up as he sat next to her on the sofa. Emma slept soundly in the next room as Danny rested against Zoe's shoulder.

"What?"

"Harry's in hospital. Collapsed on the Grid."

"What?"

"That was Adam. Tariq is headed back to the Grid, apparently some CCTV footage has picked something up."

"And there's the message Lucas got." Zoe touched the baby's head as he spoke. "You should go back. If someone has tried to kill Harry then we have to find out. I can't help thinking that Gavrik is behind the money. I mean it just seems a little too convienient that he turns up now his wife is dead."

"Zo."

"We'll be fine here." She touched his face as he spoke. "I want you here but we both know this thing with the Morganston brothers is bigger than we thought. With them and Silvitir around none of us are safe. That's why someone has tried to kill Harry." Zaf kissed her cheek as she spoke.

#################################################

Ros coughed violently as Lucas drove. She hated leaving the children with Carrie in the middle of the night but the thought that the fire had caused more damage than they first thought meant she couldn't rest. Lucas remained silent as they reached the car park of Thames House as Calum pulled his car into the space next to theirs.

"Boss." Calum stated as he got out the car.

"Calum." Ros gripped her ribs as she coughed. Lucas and Calum exchanged glances. Both had noted how thin she was but neither would mention it. Ros ignored them both as she marched towards the main entrance to the Grid. With Harry injured she knew that she was the only person who could take charge on teh Grid. "Lucas." She turned to face him as the Pod doors opened.

"Yeah."

"Redflash everyone bar Ruth and Zoe."

"Why?" Tariq looked up.

"Tariq. T shirt?"

"It's Christmas." Tariq tried his best winning smile as Ros raised an eyebrow. "Still no?"

"Yeah, still no." She watched as he glanced at Erin for help. The new girl ignored him as she poured over the memory stick Jamie had given them. "Redflash everyone."

"No point." Erin frowned as she stared at the screen. "Everyone bar Ruth, Zoe and Malcolm are here." Ros smiled slightly as she looked around the Grid. Erin had been right, everyone was there.

"Right." Ros smiled slightly as Lucas met her gaze. "I want Tim Morganston and his idiot brother in the cells by Boxing Day. Beth, get hold of GCHQ, see what they have for us. Erin, you and Alec follow up anything that Jamie gave you."

"Will do." Alec nodded.

"Adam."

"Yeah?"

"Lets see why Towers was so determined to hide Ilya Gavrik from us. Find Gavrik and I think we find Jools Silvitir. That slimey little bastard can't hide that long." Adam smiled slightly as he pulled on his jacket. Ros turned on her heels as the phone began ringing in the background. Before the pods could open Dimitri called her name.

"What?"

"Coded warning."

"Shit, who from?" Ros almost ran towards him.

"The bird has flown." Dimitri repeated the message Sasha had given them mere hours earlier. "Prepare to fly. They said it's London Bridge."

"Right." Ros rested her hands on her hips. "Lucas, find Sasha. Bring him in. "

"You?"

"Lucas, find him." Ros almost ran to the Pods as Zaf followed her and Adam out of the Pods.

##################################

Ruth stood in the doorway of the treatment room as Harry raised his eyes to meet hers. The nurse had left them alone after Ruth had followed her from the waiting room.

"Harry."

"I'm fine." He stood as he buttoned up his shirt. Ruth tried to avoid staring at the bruises that covered his rib cage.

"Just this once. Don't lie to me. I can't handle any of this if you lie to me. I know that you went there for Graham but please don't sit there and lie. Don't make me feel like an idiot for being scared, for caring whether our daughter gets to meet her dad." Ruth wiped angrily at her face as the tears began to fall. "Don't. Just." She closed her eyes as he moved closer to her.

"Ruth."

She remained silent as he carefully pulled her into his arms. "The doctor gave me some fantastic painkillers." Ruth kept her eyes closed as he pulled her to him and wraped his arms around her. "I have at least three broken ribs, a burn on my back. But that should heel. Just another scar for the collection."

"Harry."

"You asked me to tell you the truth." He kissed her hair gently as she whispered his name. "Smoke inhalation and a minor concussion. I can go home. And no I haven't signed myself out."

"Good." Ruth smiled as she pulled back, knowing Harry was telling her the truth to stop her imagining much worse.

"So, Mrs Pearce take me home." He touched her face as she smiled. "Oh and Ruth?"

"Yeah." She took his hand as they walked towards the waiting room where Sarah and Malcolm were still waiting.

"Nick?"

"With Catherine." She smiled as he glanced towards the television playing silently on the wall of the waiting room. Harry frowned as he kept his eyes on the television. Ruth followed his gaze as she spoke, her heart sank as she read the subtitles rolling across the bottom of the screen. "A security alert in central London. Gray?"

"Staying here with Terri." Harry answered. "I have to."

"Yeah." Ruth nodded as Malcolm approached them. "We both have to go back to the Grid. I'll call Catherine."

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>AN Will Ros and the boys stop the bomb in time? I don't think I like this chapter very much. Please review.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Bang!**

Ros continued talking on the comms as Adam pushed his foot to the accelerator ignoring the speed cameras that flashed in protest. She continued barking orders as Beth told her CO19 were on route to London Bridge. Zaf narrowed his eyes as he watched the cars speed by. There was no chance he was going to mention the fact Ruth had refused to get them off any more speeding fines.

"Tell them to stand back until we get there." Ros barked. "Any chance the bomb squad feel like playing?"

"At another alert in Brixton." Beth answered as she leant her hands on the table while watching the flashing icons on the screen in front of her. Tariq tapped a few keys as Dimitri pulled on his leather jacket.

"Dim?" Calum looked up as Ruth and Harry walked on to the Grid followed by Malcolm and Sarah.

"Positive sighting of Tim Morganston in Wandwsorth. Have Erin and Alec meet me there." He turned as Harry coughed.

"No." Harry barked as Dimitri turned to face him.

"Sir?"

"Take Calum. Lucas, Erin and Alec are to follow the memory stick her contact gave us. Any luck with decoding it?"

"Not yet." Calum narrowed his eyes as he thought about it. The small memory device was encrypted in a way Calum had never seen before.

"Ruth?"

"I'll look at it." Malcolm decided as Ruth ran a hand through her hair.

"I'll follow up the coded warning. Nightingale never used codes before." She sat at her workstation as Sarah watched the others become abdorbed in their work.

"Is there anything I can do?" The quiet book shop owner watched the others work as she realised just how much she had missed the work she used to do. Section K had taken up most of her adult life, until Tessa had used her as a scapegoat.

"Help Ruth." Harry watched as his wife smiled slightly. "You found Tessa and Jools lies before. You know how they work just as well as I do. You may see something we haven't."

"You think Tessa is involved in this?" Malcolm looked up as his wife spoke. He didn't like the way she visibly paled at the mention of the woman's name. Ruth shook her head slightly.

"No." Ruth narrowed her eyes as data filled her computer screen. "But we last saw her with Jools so it has to be considered."

"Jools has always loved a willing audience." Harry glared as he walked towards his office. Ruth followed him with her eyes, relieved that he at least seemed to be walking better. She jumped as her mobile sprang into life announcing a text message was waiting for her. She couldn't help but smile when she read Nick wishing her and Harry a merry Christmas and hoping they would be home soon. She tapped out a reply before the intense feeling of guilt washed over her. She desperately wanted to be home with her family and was starting to feel like the worst mum and step mother in the world. She rested her hand on her abdomen and wondered if her and Harry really could do what they were doing, if they really could bring Squeak into the world when they did what they did.

####################

Calum sat in the car as Dimitri jogged back across the road towards him. The rain beat down on the small pool car as Dimitri pulled his collar closer to his neck. He was soaked as he threw himself into the passenger seat as Calum started the engine.

"Any luck?"

"I told you Sienna Sapphire sees more than we expect." Dimitri smiled. "He was here with a hooker last night, about the time Ros and Harry were injured."

"So how did he know to impersonate the fire officer?"

"That is something we're going to have to ask him."

"You got an address." Calum smirked as Dimitri waved the small piece of paper in the air. "From a Drag Queen!"

"Never underestimate a six foot ex SBS man in sequins." Dimitri smiled slightly as he watched Calum shake his head.

"I am not going to ask. I really am not going to ask." He laughed as the heard Beth shouting instructions over the comms. Calum raised an eyebrow as Ruth cut in over the comms.

"We're going to need back up." Dimmitri checked his gun as Calum nodded before heading off in the direction Sienna had given them.

#####################

Lucas parked the motorbike a few feet away from the building he knew Erin and Alec were already inside. The freezing cold weather bit through his biker's jacket as he glanced at his watch. Sighing heavily he realised it was already the early hours of Christmas morning. Another few hours and daylight would see children all over the country waking up to see what Santa had brought. He just hoped their parents weren't watching news bullitins of the latest terrorist attack on London. Everyone knew only the few they didn't stop made it as far as the media. The thousands that were foiled by Section D and occasionally Red Troop never even got a mention. Taking his black bike helmet off he stared at the imposing building hoping that Malcolm had been right about the memory stick.

########################

"Alec." Erin snapped as the older man walked on ahead of her. "You know what you are doing?"

"Erin." He smiled as she narrowed her eyes. "There is a major terrorist alert in the capital of England. We think a terrorist group that nearly killed three of our team may be behind it. Yeah, I know what I'm doing."

"Good." She snapped. "Because it doesn't bloody look like it."

"Erin."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." He pulled her behind a stone pillar as she fought the urge to squeal. Two armoured guards walked past them as she let out a shakiy breath. "Don't worry one brunette control freak is enough for me." Alec winked before releasing her. "If Dave Morganston is here, we aren't going to find him on Christmas morning at." He looked at his watch "4am. Lucas." He tapped his ear piece. "Let's go."

"Lucas?" Erin repeated as they headed out of the bank. "Lucas? Do you copy?"

"Yeah. Just thinking, if I had a sister I'd be pretty concerned if she was arrested on Christmas morning." Lucas replied. "Wouldn't you?"

"I have a sister and no I'd expect it." Alec answered as he ran down the steps towards the exit as he and Erin avoided the security cameras.

"I think you are beginning to sound like your wife." Erin half laughed as they reached the car.

"Erin." Lucas smiled as he started the bike's engine. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

#####################

London Bridge was deserted as Ros got out of the car. Zaf looked around as Adam started towards the famous landmark. Everything was normal. The night air frigid enough for ice to begin forming where puddles had once been as Adam suddenly remembered him and Ros trying to escape the Thames a few years before. He closed his eyes as he made a promise to himself that they were all going home in one piece. Glancing at Ros he couldn't help but wonder what the Ice Queen was thinking. He knew Ros well enough to know when she was worried.

"Boss?" Zaf leant against the car.

"It's here somewhere. The bird has flown. What the Hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Ruth and Sarah are working on it." Zaf sighed. He was exhausted. So much had happened since he had left the flat the previous morning and it was beginning to catch up with him. Adam raised an eyebrow as he walked toward the Bridge.

"I thought Fly Posting was being stamped out?" He frowned as he reached the A4 size poster advertising what seemed to be a new rock band. For a moment he prayed Wes wouldn't like them. He hated heavy metal and hoped Wes and Izzy always would. He liked his eardrums where they were and preferably not bleeding.

"It is." Ros followed his gaze as a sly smile crept across her lips. Stepping closer to Adam she narrowed her eyes. "Shit."

"My thoughts exactly." Adam dropped the paper as his comms sprang into life.

"Ruth!" Zaf hissed as the analyst tried to talk to all three of them. She was clearly panicked about something. "Please, slow down some of us have just had a baby!"

"Sorry." Ruth paused.

"The mums are supposed to get mummy brain not the dads." Ros smirked as Zaf raised an eyebrow.

"The bomb." Ruth started again. "The bomb at London Bridge is a hoax."

"Spotted that." Adam glared as he turned full circle.

"Get back to the Grid." Harry barked as all three spooks stared at each other. "New Intel."

"There is a device here, Harry." Ros glared at the small detonator. "If it's under the bridge."

"Defuse it and get back here." Harry cut the comms as he turned to face Ruth who was worrying her hands together as Sarah continued to swear proficeintly in welsh. Malcolm raised an eyebrow as her vocabulary became more colourful.

"It always seemed wrong. The Bird has flown. Such a random statement." Ruth followed Harry towards his office as she talked.

"Nothing with Silvitir is random."

"Exactly." Ruth paused. "So I let Sarah work on the memory stick while I did some research." She met his eye as he realised exactly how worried his wife was.

"Ruth." He ushered her towards the battered red sofa as she closed her eyes for a moment. "Ruth are you alright?"

"It was you that was in a fire and an explosion less than twelve hours ago." She watched as he nodded once before sitting next to her.

"I did my research. Jools studied the classics at university. I always thought the Brother's Grimm didin't understand half the Homer they were using when they sent us those messages. He would. So, I looked for anything that may relate to a flying bird in Greek mythology. I can't believe I didn't see it earlier."

"See what?"

"Nightingale."

"Ruth." He prompted as she clearly warmed to her theme.

"It is Nightingale but not the real Nightingale."

Harry knew she had lost him the moment she had started talking about Greek myth.

"Ruth."

"The actual bird the nightingale is mentioned in Greek mythology. It happened before the Trojan war, so about six hundred years before that. It's revenge Harry. Silvitir wants revenge. In the legend Philomenia was attacked by Tereus a warrior king. In revenge for that Philomenia's sister killed his son in revenge. The Gods then turned Tereus, Procain and Philomena into birds with Philomena becoming the nightingale." Ruth watched as Harry seemed to realise what she was saying.

"Graham was taken because he is my son. We know that."

"Yes." Ruth took his hand in hers. "Philomena became the nightingale and her song was of mourning and lost innocence. Silvitir is trying to plead the victim in this."

"Sounds like him."

"He obviously has the brothers thinking we have done something awful. I think the bomb on London Bridge, even if it is small was intended to kill."

"If he is following the legend what does the phrase mean?"

"The bird has flown. Sasha told Lucas, and we have the same wording in our coded warning. The same specific wording Harry. The bird has flown."

"Gavrik and Silvitir are coming for revenge." Harry sighed as she nodded. For a moment he couldn't think, the thought that the Russian and the former spook were conspiring against his team made him sick. But it all made sense. He thought of his team as family and one by one they were being attacked. Lucas and Ros had been abducted, Tariq had been followed. Dimitri shot. He closed his eyes. "I don't care how and I don't care how long it takes. We get the team back here. All of them. I'll have cars sent out for Zoe and the children, for Catherine and the others and Carrie, Wes and Izzy. The same for Amy and James and Erin's daughter."

"Rosie." Ruth blinked back tears. "She's with Erin's mum."

"Then safe houses. Guarded, until this is stopped."

"Harry."

"I mean it Ruth. He isn't coming after Secton D for anything that we have done to twart his plans. He's coming after me through them and I can't guarentee their safety while they are where these monsters can get to them. You said it yourself Philomena killed Tereus son to make him pay for his crimes."

"Harry, it's just a theory."

"I know the legend Ruth. I know what the crimes were and I know that I am guilty of nothing like that but I need to be able to go after them knowing the people I care about are safe." He touched her face as she nodded. For a moment there was as if no one else in the world existed. He kissed her gently, just before Tariq burst into the room.

"Tariq!" Harry barked at the younger man as Ruth blushed.

"Sorry. Harry, you have to see this." He almost ran from the office, giving Harry no option but to follow him.

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A/N more soon. There is actually a greek myth where the woman Philomena was turned into a nightingale. Very sad and brutally violent story. All the information on that came from the internet. I'm not as clever as Ruth.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer not mine**

**The Bird has Flown?**

Ruth closed her eyes as she listened to Harry. She knew there was no way she was going to talk him out of anything when he was as determined as he was at the moment. Sighing heavily she opened her eyes to meet his gaze.

"Harry."

"Ruth, please you know how important it is that I know you and the kids are safe. We could have lost Graham and Terri through all this. I can't risk anyone else getting hurt." His eyes bore into hers as she took his hand loosely in her own.

"I know." She paused as her mobile sprang into life. One look at the screen told her Catherine was trying to get hold of her. "Catherine." She explained as she read the text.

"What does she say?"

"Um." Ruth avoided his eyes. "She isn't waiting for the car, she's bringing Charlie and Nick here."

"I sent a driver."

"Yes." Ruth sighed. "I know. Apparently if she can survive driving in Iran she can survive London."

"Jools sodding Silvitir wasn't trying to kill me then." Harry folded his arms as the Pod doors whooshed open allowing a very annoyed Adam to step through followed by Ros and Zaf. He closed his eyes as he felt the junior officers staring at him. He knew they were all desperate to go home to their families but he also knew that if Ruth was right none of them were safe. Ruth stood and straightened her skirt as she glanced through the Pods to where Adam could be seen talking to Carrie as Izzy held her arms out to him. Beth and Dimitri huddled by Tariq's desk as Erin and Lucas walked through the Pods followed by a slightly annoyed looking Alec.

"Get everyone in the Briefing Room in ten minutes." Harry shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked out over the Grid. He knew it was probably the last time he would see his team all together.

#################

"Helen Jarvis is in custody." Calum stated as he sat down at the Briefing Room table. Malcolm raised an eyebrow.

"On what grounds?" He asked as Ros smirked slightly.

"It'll piss off her brothers." Calum shrugged as Zoe walked in carrying Danny as Harry raised an eyebrow.

"You know you are getting old when the new officers are practically newborns." Alec quipped as Ruth shot him a death glare as Ros smirked.

"It's either bring him in here and keep him quiet or leave him out there and have Stan ring up to complain about the noise." Zoe snapped as she took her seat. Beth smiled slightly as the baby closed his eyes. The newborn was image of his father. Harry nodded once.

"Are you well enough for this?" Harry stared at his field officer as Zoe shrugged her shoulders.

"Yes."

"Right." He took his place at the head of the table as the others fell silent. "Did the sister have anything useful for us?"

"Not yet." Dimitri sighed heavily. He felt sorry for the young woman. He knew better than anyone that you really couldn't help who ended up as your sibling. Harry nodded once.

"Beth, Dimitri you interview her. She may respond better to the female touch." Ros rolled her eyes as Harry spoke. She knew the young woman was not a threat and that she knew barely nothing about what her brothers were involved in. Dimitri frowned slightly as he he thought.

"Care to share your thoughts, Mr Levandis." Ros stated as Dimitri shrugged his shoulders.

"She seemed genuinely scared of them." He sighed as he thought of the pretty brunette that had flirted with Lucas just days before. Ros remained stony faced.

"Lucas. You talk to her, it seems you have already established a raport." Harry changed his mind as Dimitri let out a sigh of relief. "Take Beth. Anything else on the Brother's Grim?"

"Tim Morganston was seen leaving the Sapphire Lounge at 1 am this morning with a prostitute." Calum explained. "We went to the address Dimitri got for him but there was no sign of him."

Harry closed his eyes briefly. He knew that they were no further forward with the investigation than they had been the night before. All he knew for certain was Ruth's theory about Jools wanting revenge and using the Morganston brothers was looking more and more probable.

################################

"I don't like it." Ros leant against her desk as Lucas watched his wife read the report Tariq had left for her. "I never really went in for all that Greek tragedy bollocks."

"No." Lucas agreed. "But Ruth could be right."

Ros nodded. She knew Jools had studied the classics at Oxford years before Ruth had obtained the same degree from Oxford. Only Ruth had a 2.1 whereas Jools had struggled to get a third. Ruth couldn't help but wonder if Jools knew this and was using it against the team. She sighed heavily as she glanced at the clock, aware that Carrie and the children would be at their safe house under guard by now.

"Boss?" Erin walked towards her.

"Yeah."

"There's a call on line one." She held Ros' gaze. "Using Silvitir's codes and asking for Harry."

"Get Malcolm to trace the call." Ros marched towards Harry's office as she spoke. Lucas glanced at Adam as they watched their boss answer the call. None of them dared look at Ruth as she lowered her gaze to her computer as she hacked the call, allowing the transcript to appear on her screen. After a moment she pushed her chair away from her desk fighting the urge to run to the Ladies and cry.

"Shit." Beth stated as she read what Jools had stated. Ros narrowed her eys before marching towards Harry's office. There was no way she was going to let him comply with Silvitir's request. She had to make him see that at the very least back up would be needed.

##############

Catherine glanced in the rear view mirror as she pushed her foot to the accelerator. The streets were almost deserted but a few partygoers and people who were unfortuante enough to have to work the holidays were making their way to work. Charlie was sound asleep as Nick stared out of the rear passenger window.

"What about Gray?" He asked as Catherine sighed heavily.

"He's with Terri. He's ok." Catherine hoped she sounded more confident that she felt. "Dad said we had to get to Thames House so that is where we are going." Nick closed his eyes as he tried not to worry that he was about to lose another parent. He glanced at Charlie to slept in his car seat, oblivious to what was going on around him.

"Yeah." Nick sighed. "What about Mum and Harry?"

"They'll be ok." Catherine sighed. She swerved the car around the corner as she noticed a black Saab on her tail. "They have to be." Nick turned in his seat as he spotted what Catherine was so worried about. Swearing he avoided Catherine's gaze, knowing she had heard him. He knew there was more going on than he knew about.

#################

"Dimitri and Adam have gone back to the address Dimitri's contact has given us. Taken a clean up team. Sarah has got some information off the memory stick. Calum and Tariq are tracking Catherine's car and searching CCTV for any sign of the Idiot Brothers. Erin has gone to Helen Jarvis' employers and taken Alec with her. See how they like an early morning wake up call on Christmas Day." Ros smiled slightly at the thought of it. "Zaf and Zoe are going through everything we have on Silvitir and Ruth is having a nervous breakdown."

"What?" Harry finally looked at Ros.

"The entire team have put their lives on the line over this case. May I remind you Dimitri is walking around with a bullet hole in him? Zoe gave birth practically on the Grid. Ruth collapsed not so long ago while Alec and Adam escaped a bomb and Lucas and I were abducted." She narrowed her eyes. "And now you think you can act like the Lone Ranger. Well, newsflash Harry. It isn't happening."

"Ros." Harry held her gaze as she narrowed her eyes. "I am your superior officer."

"Really? I'd forgotten."

"I can't risk the safety of any of the team over this. As you say, so many have come close to being murdered throughout this investigation."

"Like that's something new. Harry, you and I were in a fire yesterday. And that was after someone tried to blow us both to Kingdom Come. Don't think I don't understand the severity of the situation." Harry nodded as she spoke. "I am, however beginning to wonder if you hit your head harder than it seemed."

"Ros" He almost spat her name. "I know Jools Silvitir. I know that given the chance he would have this section removed. If not legally then .." He let the thought hang in the air as Ros smirked.

"As you once said, this is MI 5 not the bleeding WI." Ruth stated as she walked in. "You are going to do this. You are going to meet Jools Silvitir at sunrise on the top of the Endevour Estate."

"I have to."

"No Harry." Ruth snapped. "You don't sodding have to. But ever since Tariq found who was funding Silvitir you have been like a man determined to get himself killed. Gavrik is a Russian traitor but there has to be another way."

"If there was." Harry silently begged her to understand. Ruth nodded.

"You know he wont be alone?" Ros folded her arms. "In all probability unless we bring in the Morganston brothers before sunset they will be there and I wouldn't be surprised if Gavrik has decided to join the party. You know he blames us for Elena killing herself."

"Then he shouldn't have left her." Harry snapped. "What gets me in all this is Sasha. Where is he?"

"As of two minutes ago." Ruth glanced at Ros before continuing "He is in the next cell to Helen Jarvis. Seems they know each other very well."

"Really?" Harry shook his head. It seemed the young man had just as much a tendancy to extra marital affairs as his mother had.

"So." Ros leant against the wall as she spoke. "If there is a chance that Silvitir is taking his playmates to the meet I think you should do the same."

"No."

"Harry, you don't get to play alone. Not today."

All three fell silent as Tariq burst in. Harry resisted the urge to bark at the young man for barging in yet again.

"What is it?" Ros stepped towards him as he swallowed hard.

"Catherine's car is being followed. Calum and Zaf are trying to intercept them. Oh and Harry. If you are going to meet Silvitir wear this. Along with a bullet proof vest of course." He smiled slightly as Harry rolled his eyes before nodding as Tariq handed him his new toy.

"Works on alpha waves. Undetectable to virtually every device that looks for bugs." Harry smiled slightly as he looked at the small silver tie pin. "It'll enable us to track you more closely than just using your mobile." Ruth knew Harry was only half listening as images of Catherine being followed by masked assassins flooded his mind.

"Harry." Ros stared at her boss. "Meet him if you must but you know there is no way you are doing this alone. I'll have the team present but out of sight. Too many of this section have ended up in the churchyard already. You said it yourself, no more names on that godforsaken glass wall. Not from Section D, not while I'm Section Chief."

Ruth smiled slightly, knowing Harry could never argue when his own words were thrown back at him. Ros ushered Tariq out of the room as Ruth took a step towards Harry and took the tie pin out of his hand before securing it across Harry's red tie, resting a hand on his chest as her eyes met his, already on the verge of tears.

"Ruth." Harry almost whispered her name. "I have to do this."

"I know." She smiled slightly. "You wouldn't be my Harry if you didn't. Just." She closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her waist.

"What?"

"Just come back to me." She half whispered as he kissed her cheek. She felt his words against her skin while her eyes stayed closed.

"Always." She nodded once before opening her eyes, knowing Harry would already be gone.

################################

A/N Will Harry meet Jools? Will they both survive it and can Catherine get to Thames House alive? Please review. Not much left now.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer not mine (shortish update to test if all my stories are victim of the gremlin or if its just one)**

**The Drive.**

Harry pushed his foot on the accelerator as he headed away from Thames House. Every cell in his body screamed at him to turn the 4x4 around and return to the Grid. To Ruth. He swallowed hard as he tried not to think about the last conversation he had with her._ Last conversation. _He swore as a car almost cut him up as he drove through Picadilly Circus on the way to Endevour Tower. He still had no idea why Jools had chosed the high rise block of flats but the ideas going through his mind didn't make him feel any easier about meeting his former colleague. He had a very strong feeling he was driving towards his death. Suddenly he was desperate to talk to his family. There had been no word from Catherine or Graham since Tariq had told them Catherine had been followed. Flicking a switch he waited for the dial tone to connect.

"Gray, it's Dad. Look I need you to look after your sister, Nick and Ruth for me." He paused as he realised he was reaching his destination. "Just in case."

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"Bloody Hell." Calum swore as Zaf drove at break neck speed along the road away from Thames House. Zaf ignored him as the speed continued to pick up. He narrowed his eyes as he heard Tariq give Catherine's latest location. They all knew she had a teenager and an 18 month old baby in the back of the car. Zaf swore under his breath as they reached the junction. The black Saab following Catherine now plainly visible. Calum read out the registration number to Tariq who began searching databases to see who the car was registered to.

"Gavrik. Another one of his." Calum sighed seconds after getting the information from Tariq.

"Hold on." Zaf pushed his foot further on to the accelerator as Calum checked his seatbelt was safely on. The screach of tyres, followed by the stomach churning sound of metal colliding against metal deafened the London street as Zaf rammed the car following Catherine. Her little green metro slipped away the occupants of the Saab gingerly got out of the car. Calum opened the car door as Zaf radioed in that paramedics were needed behind the Regency B&B. Two men swearing in Russian got out of the car as Calum wished either Ros or Lucas were with them so they could understand the expletives being thrown at them.

#################

Ruth folded her arms over her abdomen as she walked toward Calum's abandoned work station. Ros narrowed her eyes as she watched the Intel Analyst stare at the screen.

"Lucas and Adam are in position." Ros watched as Ruth nodded. "Ruth?"

"Ok." Ruth felt numb. She knew as well as Ros that Harry had just taken the decision to walk to his death. She wondered briefly if she had always known things between them would end like this. If it wasn't Jane causing problems it was one of his exes causing problems.

"Beth and Dimitri are in the tower opposite. Alec and I will be there in less than ten minutes. You know it isn't just Jools that is going to be there?"

"Gavrik has wanted Harry dead for years." Ruth stated. Ros frowned slightly, aware that her friend was never this cold. It was like hearing a version of herself. It wasn't that Ruth was afraid Harry was going to be killed, it was more she was resigned to the fact he was already very probably dead.

###########################

"What the." Catherine caught her breath as she leant heavily against the car. Nick shrugged his shoulders as Charlie began crying. Catherine hugged her son to her as Nick looked along the street to see Calum and Zaf jogging towards them.

"You ok?" Calum asked as he ushered them towards his car.

"No." Catherine snapped. "I am far from ok. Some psychopath just tried to kill me, my son and my little brother. My other brother has been kidnapped and someone tried to murder him and my future sister in law. As far as things go I'd say I am far from bloody ok!" She stormed off as Nick shrugged his shoulders.

"I think Cath is a bit annoyed." Nick smiled as Calum raised an eyebrow. "Why are you here? Where's Mum and Harry?"

"Ruth is on the Grid."

"And Harry?" The teenager stared at him. Calum looked at the floor. "Calum, where is my dad?" Calum froze as he realised it was probably the first time the teenager had described Harry as 'dad'. Nick glared at him, apparently oblivious to his slip of the tongue.

"Working. Ros and the others will be with him by now. Come on." He ushered the young boy away from the lane as ambulance sirens could be heard in the background.

####################

Harry stared out over the London skyline remembering the times he had done the same with Ruth. He had no idea how many times he had hidden up on the roof either waiting for her or thinkin about her. He shook his head as he realised he would never do that again. That he would never see Nick grow up or Squeek come into the world. For a moment he was incredibly angry that he was going to be denied the chance to be a father and grandfather like other men his age.

"Harry."

"Ilya." Harry turned to see the thin man smirk.

"I believe you murdered my wife."

"I didn't lay a finger on her." Harry narrowed his eyes as Ilya smirked. "So I met the organ grinder, where is the monkey?"

"Mr Silvitir will be with us shortly." He watched as Harry held his gaze. He had no idea that Ros and Alec were mere meters away, a sniper's rifle trained on Gavrik's head.

"What is all this about? Why are you trying to kill my officers?"

"I am surprised your wife has not worked out my intentions." He almost laughed as he stepped towards Harry. He stayed exactly where he was. He was determined not to show the man how afraid he was. He was not about to let Ilya see he was getting to him. With no ear piece he prayed the others were disobeying orders and somehow able to reach him in time. "Your team will pose no threat to me with you out of the way. Sorry to hear about Ms Myers and Miss Reynolds. Tragic loss."

"Indeed. " Harry could only hope he was lying. "Why am I here?"

"Revenge Harry. Pure and simple revenge. Morganston was merely a distraction. I have paid handsomely to get you here."

Harry nodded as he realised Jools had been true to form. Only there for the money. He narrowed his eyes as Ilya raised the gun.

"Merry Christmas Harry Pearce."

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A/N More soon :D


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Alone?**

Ros narrowed her eyes as she stared up at the impossibly high tower block. The 1960's block of flats must have seemed appealing at one point but years of abuse and neglect had left it looking like an eyesore in the middle of what seemed to be a fairly modern development. She shook her head slightly as she realised her boss was very probably already at the top of the building.

"Ros?" Alec turned to face her as she ignored him. "Harry is up there."

"Yes." Ros snapped.

"Well?"

"Him being up there isn't what's worrying me. It's who else is." She opened the car door as Alec swore under his breath. He knew she was right.

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"Alpha two?" Erin tapped her ear piece as she reached the top of an identical block of flats just opposite. Mercy Heights was a direct replica of the building opposite and equally as depressing. She glanced at Dimitri and Beth as their boss failed to answer. "Alpha 2?"

"What?" Ros snapped as she marched up the steps towards the roof, knowing by the time she got there Harry could well be dead.

"I have visual. Two men on the roof. Can't make a positive ID on either of them."

"It's Harry. Well one of them is." Tariq answered as he watched the computer screen in front of him. The tie pin tracker worked beautifully. Harry's location flashed on the screen as Ruth sat next to Tariq in silence. No one left on the Grid had dared say anything to her since Harry had left. Now Tariq was beginning to worry about her more than his boss.

"Right." Ros answered. "We have his location. Lucas? Adam? Anything?"

"No." Lucas almost growled. "I can't get a decent visual of who he is with." He glared down a rifle sight as he spoke. He could clearly see the back of Harry's head as his boss turned to talk to his companion. He knew that he was only going to get one chance at taking out whoever it was that was with Harry, one mistake and the consequences would be disasterous. He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to focus.

"Ilya Gavrik." Dimitri stated confidently. "Harry is talking to Ilya Gavrik."

"Are you certain?" Ros asked as she reached the door before the entrance to the roof. Alec rested a hand on her arm and shook his head as Dimitri stated he was certain. Harry was on the roof with Ilya Gavrik.

#################################

Catherine swore profusely as she got back to her car. Zaf looked over his shoulder at Nick as Charlie began crying. Calum shook his head as he picked the toddler up.

"It's ok. I think Mum is just a bit annoyed with us at the moment."

"Annoyed?" Catherine took the toddler from him. "Annoyed?"

"Well." Calum glanced at the floor as Nick raised an eyebrow.

"I have been chased through London by people that would like to use me and my son. And my brother to blackmail my dad into doing God only knows what."

"They don't want to blackmail him." Zaf stated calmly as Catherine fell silent.

"Oh." Nick closed his eyes. For a moment Calum realised just how much the teenager had seen in his short lifetime. Silently Nick opened the car door and got in. He knew exactly what Zaf was trying to say, he had known it since Graham had gone missing days before.

"Right." Catherine hugged Charlie to her. "Right."

"Look, let's get you to Thames House."

"Does Ruth know?" Catherine asked, some of her anger dissapating as she met Calum's eye. Calum nodded once.

"Yes."

"But."

"Look, there isn't time to explain everything here. We know Graham and Teresa are safe." Zaf stated as Catherine nodded. "Ruth is on the Grid."

"And Dad?"

"Gramps!" Charlie yelled as if expecting his grandfather to appear any second. "Roo!"

"Shh." Catherine soothed as the little boy looked around. "Zaf."

"Let's get back to Thames House." Calum ushered her towards the car as Zaf stared at the floor, hoping that he never had to explain to the young woman why her father was dead or try to get two young boys to understand he was never coming home. He had no idea how Ruth would cope if Harry didn't make it back to Thames House.

"Merry Christmas." Zaf shook his head as he climbed back into the driving seat.

#################

"Ruth." Zoe spoke quietly as the Intel Analyst stared at the screen. The little red dot that indicated Harry's location continued to flash on the screen. She knew as long as the dot was moving Harry was alive. That was all that mattered.

"Yeah?" She half whispered.

"Zaf called. He's bringing Catherine and the boys in. Their fine. A little shaken up but ok."

"Ok." Ruth narrowed her eyes as the dot on the screen seemed to come to a standstill. She had no idea if Harry had stopped moving voluntarily or if something had happened. Malcolm rested a hand on her shoulder as tears filled her eyes. "Ok."

"Ruth." Malcolm started as she shook her head. He fell silent, understanding exactly what she meant. Gently he rested a hand on Zoe's shoulder and ushered her away. "See what you can find regarding flights in and out of Moscow." He asked as Zoe raised an eyebrow. "Please." Zoe nodded as Tariq began to press the keys in front of him as though his life depended on it. Ruth rested a hand on her growing bump as a wave of fear washed over her. Harry was dead. She knew it. Harry was dead.

#################

"Merry Christmas Harry Pearce." Ilya narrowed his eyes as Harry stepped towards him.

"Ilya."

"Oh stop all this blustering." Both men froze as Jools appeared behind Ilya, gun raised he fired once. Smirking to himself he put the gun away and walked to the edge of the roof as the body of his victim fell thousands of feet to the floor below.

####################

"Oh my God." Beth stared at the scene as it played out a few feet in front of her.

"Shit." Dimitri felt sick as he heard his colleagues begin to try to work out what had happened. "He's. He's."

"Get there now." Erin ran from their vantage point as Beth met Dimitri's gaze for a second before following the brunette back down the stair case.

"What happened?" Adam checked his gun as he made his way towards the scene. The main Grid had been quiet for far longer than he liked. He was used to either Ruth or Tariq telling him what to expect or feeding him bits of information that invariably kept them all alive.

"Someone fell off the roof." Lucas answered dryly as he looked at his friend.

"Who?" Adam was almost running. The thought of his friend dead before his daughter had been born made him feel sick. He knew how much Ruth and Harry wanted to be parents. It just seemed so unfair that the baby wouldn't meet her father. He broke into a run as he heard Ros and Alec swear as they fought to break open the locked roof door.

#######################

"Ruth?" Tariq hated the way his voice broke as he said her name. They had heard everything that had gone on. Beth and Dimitri involuntarily confirming Ruth's worst fear. "We don't know."

"I do." Ruth closed her eyes as the others watched her. She pushed her chair away from the desk and walked to Harry's office, closing the door behind her. Malcolm shook his head as Zoe stood.

"Let her be." His voice fell as Sarah walked across to him. The red head nodded as Malcolm sat back down.

"He's right Zoe."

"It isn't Harry." Zoe stated as the baby started crying. "It isn't him."

#####################

"Shit." Ros swore as she finally got onto the roof. The first to arrive on the scene her ears were assaulted by the sound of a car alarm screeching in protest as people left the blocks of flats to see what the commotion was all about. "Clowns can clear that up."

"Yeah." Alec nodded as he looked over the edge of the building and wrinkled his nose. "Can't see the car valet sorting that out."

"Thank you Mr White." Harry touched his head gingerly as blood seeped from his hairline.

"You alright?" Ros turned to him. He pulled a face as Ros rolled her eyes.

"I'm alive. Which is more than I was expecting."

"Yeah." Alec glanced over the edge of the roof once more, unable to avoid the macarbe scene below. "And him?"

"Jools shot him."

"So?"

"So Jools Silvitir saved my life. I have no idea why."

"Perhaps he thinks you are more useful to him alive." Ros stepped back from the edge. There was no way she was going to admit she was terrified of heights. She just wanted to be away from the edge before the vertigo began to take over.

"Perhaps." Harry agreed. "I don't think it is the last we will see of him."

"No." Alec agreed. "Look is now a good time to ask? Am I back on the team?"

"No and yes." Ros smirked as Harry walked past him towards the door. Ros shook her head and followed.

"Harry, call Ruth." Ros demanded as she slipped past both men and made her way down the stairs. Harry closed his eyes and nodded, knowing a phone call wasn't going to be enough.

##################

"Catherine." Calum touched her arm as she stepped on to the Grid. Charlie wriggled in her arms as he fought to be released. Seconds later he was running across the Grid to where a sleeping Emma and Danny were covered by baby blankets and coats. She swallowed hard as they watched Ruth close the office door, unaware that they were even there.

"Harry?" Zaf closed his eyes as Tariq looked away. Zoe sniffed as Sarah crossed the room to where the children were. Nick swore again, unconcerned that the adults had heard him.

"Come on, mate." Tariq ushered him towards the office. "I think your mum needs to see you." Nick nodded as Tariq squeezed his shoulder. Catherine shook her head as Malcolm took a step towards her. It was then Calum sighed before pulling the younger woman into his arms and let her quietly sob her heart out for the father she believed had been murdered. The Grid fell into silence before Danny decided to join in the tears. No one on the Grid moved as Zoe comforted the baby. The fact that the flashing icon on the screen was moving once more had been missed by everyone. Malcolm jumped as the phone on Ruth's desk began ringing. He shook his head slightly as he picked up the phone.

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A/N Please don't hate me! More soon :D Thanks again for all the reviews. One more chapter left before I start a new story. Have another idea!


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Always.**

Ruth was cold. The empty office that surrounded her was filled with ghosts. Everywhere she looked there was a memory. That was all that seemed to register as she stared at Harry's empty office. She could almost see him sat at his desk rolling his eyes as Towers came up with some nonsense or other on the other end of the phone line. She shook her head as she remembered Juliet berating him over something or the look of delighted surprise she got whenever she had barged in unannounced. Smiling sadly she realised he was gone. It was never going to happen again. Closing her eyes she forced her game face on. There was no way she was going to dissolve into a useless heap of tears. That could wait until Nick and the others were asleep. Catherine and Graham were going to need her now.

"Mum." Ruth sighed heavily as she heard the teenager behind her. "Mum?"

"Hey." Ruth sniffed as she realised maybe her game face wasn't as good as she thought it was.

"Tariq said."

"It's ok." She held out her arms as the teenager almost fell into them. "It's ok."

"No." Nick sniffed as she hugged him. "No it isn't. I seem to have a talent for loosing parents. It must be me. If I had never come to live with you and Harry." Ruth bit her lip as she pushed him away to hold him at arms length.

"Nicholas."

"But."

"Don't you ever think that. You must never ever think that." Ruth sniffed. "Harry loves. Loved you. I love you. This was due to work. It was nothing and I mean nothing to do with home. With our family. Us."

"But Gray and Terri."

"Bad people took them. Ros and Harry got them back. They are fine."

"They were taken. Catherine and I, we were followed. Charlie was with us. He's only a baby."

"I know." Ruth smoothed his hair away from his face as she fought the urge to cry. "I know. But it was all to do with who we are. Harry and me, not you, not Catherine and Graham. It was us. Jools Silvitir and Ilya Gavrik were after us. "

"And now Harry is dead. My dad is dead."

"I know they are." Ruth almost crushed him to her as he cried.

"No, Harry is. He's been more like a dad that my dad."

"Ssh." Ruth kissed his hair as the boy cried. "I know, ssh." Ruth could barely keep the sobs from escaping as she realised Nick was right. He had lost another parent and there had been nothing she could have done to stop it.

#############################

"Malcolm?" Zoe watched as the technical officer smiled. "What is it?"

"That was Harry."

"What?" Zaf crossed the room towards him, Danny sleeping soundly now he seemed to know his dad was back on the Grid. Catherine's eyes snapped to her godfather as he spoke.

"That was Harry. It was Gavrik that fell. He's been trying to get hold of Ruth but she isn't answering her mobile and neither is Catherine."

"Shit." Catherine sighed. "It's in the car. I didn't think."

"No problem." Calum hugged her as she rested her head on his shoulder. For a moment Zaf wondered if he had missed something between the new boy and the boss' daughter. He couldn't help but smile as Malcolm's words sank in.

"Talk about nine lives." Tariq smiled.

"Yes, indeed." Malcolm glanced at his wife as he answered the younger technical officer. "He also said that Jools Silvitir is still a wanted man. He shot Gavrik, hence the fall from the tower block but he's vanished into thin air. Anyway, Harry and the others are on the way back to Thames House. He suggested that we all make our way home. There is nothing to be done here today."

"But Jools." Zoe folded her arms.

"Isn't likely to try anything today. Not now the police also have a murder investigation to deal with. It is a tad difficult to pass off a death as suicide when the body has a bullet hole through the head. He ordered everyone home until tomorrow morning." Malcolm reasoned as Sarah pulled a face. Tariq nodded.

"What about Ruth? Her and Nick still think Harry is dead."

"I know." Malcolm sighed. He glanced at Sarah as the Pods opened.

"Go home." Adam stated. "Ros and Lucas have already gone off duty. So have Erin, Beth and Dimitri. Alec has probably headed towards the nearest pub. Clear off." He laughed as Harry pulled a face.

"Wouldn't you? If you lived with Juliet?"

"Fair point." Adam conceeded as Sarah handed Tariq his leather jacket.

"But Ruth."

"Dad." Catherine sniffed as Charlie yelled his name and ran towards him. Calum stepped back as he realised everyone had seen him holding the younger woman.

"I'm fine. Hello, Spud." Charlie laughed as Harry picked him up. Catherine shook her head slightly. "Go to your mum." He handed the toddler to Catherine as she sniffed and wiped an eye.

"You scared us."

"I know." Harry smiled slightly, his attention firmly on the closed office door. He knew Ruth was in there with Nick but he had no idea what he was going to say to her. Catherine sighed as Calum squeezed her shoulder.

"I'll take this one home." She kissed her son as Harry nodded. "Tell Gray what has happened. Bloody quiet Christmas. As if!" She looked around, unsurprised to see the place was now almost deserted. Calum seemed to be the only one of the team that had hung back. She couldn't help but smile. Ruth had mentioned he could be a bit brash and insensitive but she didn't see that. She glanced at him as Charlie held out his hands for the technical officer. "Cal? I could do with a lift."

"Sure." He smiled as he swung the toddler into his arms. "Nick?"

"I'll get him. Dad, you and Ruth need five minutes on your own." She stepped past him as Harry frowned. He knew his daughter was right. Not for the first time he wondered when she had become such a grown up. Shaking his head he glanced at Calum. The new boy seemed to have an affect on his daughter and grandson. At that moment he couldn't bring himself to worry about it.

#############################################################

"Where the Hell is Jools Silvitir? That's what I want to know." Ros stated as Amy toddled towards her followed by her 11 month old brother.

"Me too." Amy answered as Ros raised an eyebrow. Sometimes she forgot just how much the children picked up.

"Amy." Lucas shook his head. "Where's your bear?"

"There." Amy pointed at the brown teddy bear Ruth had bought her.

"Can I see?"

"Daddy!" Amy sighed dramatically before heading towards the other side of the room to get it. Lucas smiled as he sat next to Ros on the sofa.

"She's a mini you."

"Oh don't wish that on the child." Ros rested her head on his shoulder, utterly exhausted. "I still want to know where he is and why he didn't kill Harry."

"Yeah." Lucas paused as the toddler and her brother returned.

"Fire escape." Ros sighed. "External fire escape. He must have got on and off the roof that way." Amy held the toy out for her dad to inspect as James yawned. He was as tired as Ros was. Ros opened one eye before scooping him into her arms. "Bed, little man."

"Mamma"

"Oh and he's just like you." Lucas smiled as his wife turned to him. "Thinks he can turn those puppy dog eyes on me to get his own way."

"Usually works." Lucas smiled at her as Ros rolled her eyes before heading towards the baby's bedroom with her son. For a moment the enormity of the day seemed too much. Harry had nearly been killed. It had been closer than normal this time. She remembered all the times she had stood beside him as they had faced death and won. When Juliet had tried to kill her, when he had called her his outstanding officer. She closed her eyes as she remembered him shooting Arkady, going after the people that had tried to kill Zaf and Adam once. The way he was when her father escaped from prison. Shaking her head she realised she had no idea how Ruth must be feeling, or how she would feel if it had been Lucas. Closing the bedroom door she put James in his bed and watched him fall asleep. It was then the tears began to fall. Not for what had happened but for what might have.

#################################

"Ruth." Harry stood in his open office doorway as Nick slipped past him. The teenager looked dumbstruck as Harry raised a finger to his lips. Nick nodded before hugging him once and smiling as Harry whispered his sister was waiting for him.

"Ruth." He tried again but Ruth's eyes remained fixed on the half empty decanter in the corner of the office.

"Stupid man."

"I said I'd come back." He stepped closer.

"Stupid, stupid man. Christ now I'm talking to myself." Ruth shook her head. "Tring, here I come."

"Ruth." Harry rested both hands on her shoulders as she buried her face in her hands. "Ruth, I'm here."

"You died." She refused to turn to face him. "You died. You left us. Again!"

"No." He physically turned her as she dissolved in his arms. "No, Jools shot Gavrik. I'm ok. I'm here." He kissed her hair, oblivious to the face Calum was ushering his children and grandson out of the Grid. "I promised I'd always come back. Ruth?" He tilted her chin so she had to look in his eyes.

"I know." She mumbled before his lips brushed hers. "Harry?"

"Mmn?"

"Take me home." She smiled through her tears as her hands finally found his face. It was then he realised his own eyes were wet with unshed tears. He nodded once before kissing her again.

"Oh."

"What?"

"Your Christmas present."

"Harry, trust me. You're alive. That's enough." She smiled as he shook his head. A second later he dipped his hand into his jacket pocket.

"I never had time to wrap it. Sorry." He watched as she raised an eyebrow. "When I promised forever,"

"Harry." She let her eyes fall to their linked hands as he slipped the eternity ring into her hand "I."

"It was Mum's." He shrugged as she nodded, "It's engraved" He turned it so Ruth could see the simple word engraved inside. 'Always.'

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A/N That's all folks. Thanks for the reviews. Please let me know what you think. One final review would be great.


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